The head of Indian manufacturing giant Tata has received an honorary doctorate from the University of Warwick.
Ratan Tata, chairman of the group which had collaborated with MG Rover on the City Rover project, was honoured at a ceremony yesterday.
Over the past 14 years he transformed the Tata Group, an icon of Indian industry into the biggest company on the subcontinent.
In the process, he turned "one of India's most stodgy conglomerates into a global business player", said Forbes Magazine on naming him Asian Businessman of the Year for 2004.
Tata now has operations in more than 40 countries across six continents, exporting goods and services to 140 nations, with revenues in the last year of £10 billion and employing 220,000 people.
After being appointed chairman of Tata Sons, the parent company of the Tata Group, in 1991, he streamlined the business, focusing it on a series of growth sectors and leading it into new industries, such as car manufacture and telecommunications services.
During this period he has at different times held the chairmanship of different Tata companies, including Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Power, Tata Tea, Tata Chemicals and Indian Hotels.
He is also chairman of two of the largest philanthropic bodies in India.
Professor Lord Bhattacharyya, founder and director of the University of Warwick's Warwick Manufacturing Group, said: "Ratan Tata's modesty and lack of ostentation belie his standing as one of the world's leading business figures.
"He is a man of enormous humanity, a Renaissance man. He possesses great business vision and acumen.
"He has transformed the Tata Group and is a standard bearer for Indian business on the world stage. I am delighted that the university has chosen to honour him with this doctorate."
Meanwhile the business community has praised West Midlands Business Council deputy chairman Dr Sarindar Singh Sahota for his hat-trick of honours after receiving an honorary doctorate from Aston University.
Sir William Lawrence, chairman of Heart of England Tourism and a member of the Business Council, said: "We are delighted that Sarindar has gained a hat-trick of honours for his well deserved work for the regional business community. Last year Sarindar gained an honorary doctorate from Birmingham University, last month he was awarded an OBE and now he has gained an honorary doctorate from Aston University.
" Each award is well deserved. As the former chairman of the Birminghambased Institute of Asian Businesses, Sarindar ensured that the needs of micro businesses were heard and acted on.
"As the head of the West Midlands Regional Assembly's Regeneration Zones Inquiry, Sarindar's leadership skills were clearly in evidence in furthering the interests of the whole community and his strategic guidance within the Business Council is much appreciated."
