There are some scientific inventions that are so woven into the warp and weft of our lives that it  is difficult to countenance existence without them. Bearing testimony to this argument lie the indispensability of electricity, the invaluableness of the phone, the ubiquity of steel... Right from personal accessories like wrist watches through cutlery in the household and furniture in the office to roads, bridges, skyscrapers, vehicle armour and railway tracks, steel is enmeshed into virtually every aspect of our lives. Responsible for bringing this wondrous alloy to us is one of the pioneers of steel industry in India viz. Tata Steel.

Established in 1907 by Jamshedji Nusserwanji Tata, Tata Steel is the world's 6th largest steel company with an existing annual crude steel production capacity of around 28  million  tonnes.  While  the  main  plant  is  located  in Jamshedpur, Tata Steel has lined up several Greenfield Projects in Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh in India and Iran and Bangladesh overseas. The first private sector steel plant that started with a production capacity of 100000 tonnes has now transformed into a global giant with operations in 24 countries and commercial presence in over 50 countries. With investments in Corus, NatSteel and Tata Steel (Thailand), the  Company has created a manufacturing and marketing network in Europe, South East Asia and the Pacific-rim countries. The iron ore mines and collieries in India give the Company a distinct advantage in raw material sourcing. Exploration of opportunities in titanium dioxide in Tamil Nadu, high carbon ferro-chrome plant in South Africa and setting up of a deep­ sea port in coastal Orissa are integral to the Growth and Globalization objective of Tata Steel.

Combining international expertise with  local customer service, the Company supplies a range of products to construction, automotive, packaging and engineering sectors. Hot and cold rolled coils and sheets, galvanized sheets, tubes, wire rods, construction rebars and bearings are some of its main products.

With a slogan such as "Redefining the power of people", Tata Steel's commitment to the community remains the bedrock of its hundred years of sustainability. The social outreach programmes of the company cover the city of Jamshedpur and over 800 villages in and around its manufacturing and raw materials operation through initiatives in the areas of income generation, health and medical care, education, sports and relief. It is said Charity begins at home : Tata Steel set some of the earliest examples in employee walefare. It introduced an 8-hour work day as early as 1912 when only a 12-hour work day was the legal norm in Britain. It introduced leave-with-pay in 1920, a practice that became legally binding upon employers in India only in 1945. Similarly, Tata Steel started a Provident Fund for its employees as early as 1920 which became a law for all employers under the Provident Fund Act only in 1952. It set up a three-tier joint consultation system of management which has ensured that Tata Steel's furnaces have never been disrupted on account of a labour strike.

Endeavaouring to continue the tradition of aligning business interests with nation building objectives set by its illustrious founder, Tata Steel has completed 100 glorious years of existence.

The Department of Posts is happy to associate itself with the centenary celebrations through the release of this commemorative postage stamp.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India