Start thinking abt contributions to society and nation's future: Chandrasekaran to IIT-B grads

Mumbai: Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran on Friday urged graduating students at the IIT-Bombay to start thinking about contributing to the future of our society and nation.

Addressing the commencement event at the institute here, Chandrasekaran advised the students to focus on the mantras of building trust, character and having a purpose to have fulfilling careers and a life.

"It's better to start thinking (about) how you will contribute to the future of our society and our nation. Such a purpose will enrich your life and I guarantee you, will make it very, very fulfilling," he said.

The chairman of the diversified group told the students from the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) that they will create huge impacts in various fields, and pointed out that some of them will become entrepreneurs, some will go into academics, or pursue science as a researcher or some of them may also become Nobel laureates.

Citing the case of the salt-to-software group, Chandrasekaran said the purpose of serving society is hard-wired through the 66 per cent stake in the group holding company held by philanthropic trusts.

The profits earned by the group companies have been used for creating cancer hospitals, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research or the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, he said.

Tata's hospitals, TIFR and TISS have also been used for COVID and other disaster relief, heritage conservation, supporting artisans, education, empowering tribals, helping people access safe drinking water etc, he said.

He said people have seen the Tata group operating since over 150 years and hence, the group has gained trust because of its consistent conduct.

"In all these years, I can say we have not been perfect all the time. But we always try to be transparent, honest, collaborative and be companies who are easier to do business with," he said.

He described the character as the "capacity to prioritise values over instincts", and asked the students to be very diligent in building this virtue.

Chandrasekaran also asked the students to imbibe discipline, which provides an orderly structure to one's life and helps focus on matters of high priority.