Industrialist Ratan Tata conferred with ‘Udyog Ratna’ award

Veteran industrialist and philanthropist Ratan Tata, the Chairman-emeritus of Tata Group was conferred with the coveted Udyog Ratna award by the Maharashtra government on Saturday. 

Tata (85) was conferred the Maharashtra Bhushan award - the highest honour in the state in 2006.

The state has now conferred the Udyog Ratna award on the lines of Maharashtra Bhushan - and he was felicitated as the first recipient.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde presented the award to Tata at the latter’s residence in Mumbai - as he expressed his inability to make it to the awards ceremony, slated on Sunday. 

Deputy Chief Ministers - Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, Industries Minister Uday Samant, Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar, Additional Chief Secretary Bhushan Gagrani, Principal Secretary Harshadeep Kamble, Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation CEO Dr Vipin Sharma, Tata Sons Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran were present on the occasion. 

"Ratan Tata's and Tata Group's contribution to the country is immense. I thank him for accepting this award given by the Maharashtra government,” Shinde said. 

This recognition comprised a shawl, a citation, and a memento from MIDC.

The rest of the awardees would be felicitated on Sunday at the Jio World Convention Centre at the Bandra Kurla Complex would be presided over by Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais. 

Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla (Udyog Mitra),  Kirloskar Group’s Gauri Kirloskar (Udyogini) and Sahyadri Farms owner Vilas Shinde ((Utkrusht Marathi Udyojak).