Jamshed J Irani, Steel Man Of India Passes Away At 85

Jamshed J Irani, the steel man of India passed away at the age of 85 in Jamshedpur late on Monday night. As the steel icon took his last breaths, he left behind his wife Daisy Irani and his three children Zubin, Niloufer and Tanaaz.

Born in Nagpur on June 2, 1936 to Jiji and Khorshed Irani, Jamshed J Irani’s association with Tata Steel for more than 40 years, brought him and the company global acclamation in various sectors. 

Dr. Irani completed his B.Sc in the year 1956 from Science College in Nagpur and in 1958, he completed his M.Sc in Geology from Nagpur University. Then, as a J. N. Tata scholar, he went to the University of Sheffield in the UK, where he earned a Masters in Metallurgy in 1960 and a PhD in Metallurgy in 1963.

He started his professional career in 1963 with the British Iron and Steel Research Association in Sheffield but always aspired to work for the advancement of his country. So, in 1968, he left his position in the United States and travelled back to India to work for The Tata Iron and Steel Company (now Tata Steel), where he joined as an Assistant to the Director in-charge of Research and Development.

In 1978, Dr. Irani became the General Superintendent of Tata Steel, in 1979 he became the General Manager and then the President in the year 1985. Before retiring in 2001, he was the Joint Managing Director in 1988 and the Managing editor of Tata Steel in 1992

Dr Irani joined the Board of Tata Steel in 1981 and served as a Non-Executive Director beginning in 2001 till June 2011. He was also the Director of a number of Tata Group firms, including Tata Teleservices and Tata Motors. Today, the group looks back at the icon's work and fondly remembers him for his legacy.