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Tata Group: A Haven for many cricketing legends

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Now, coming to the business houses, even the Tata Group, one of the biggest industrialists in India, has been in partnership with sporting events, particularly cricket.

In the many years past, a number of crickets have been absorbed into Tata Group companies, thereby indicating the establishment’s affinity towards sporting activities more so crickets.

This has helped the cricketers also helped in showcasing the fact that Tata stands for sports talent in India and supports talents in that field.

Here are some prominent cricket legends who have been associated with Tata Group companies:

Cricket Legends Associated with Tata Group

  1. Ravindra Shankar Pandit (R.S. Pandit)
    • First-class cricketer from Maharashtra
    • Played a crucial role in Indian domestic cricket.
    • Worked at Tata Steel, allowing him to balance his professional career with cricket.
  2. Madhav Apte
    • Former Indian Test cricketer and opening batsman
    • Played only seven Test matches for India but was a key first-class player for Bombay.
    • Held a directorial role at Tata Tea and worked with Tata Oil Mills after retiring from cricket.
  3. Dilip Vengsarkar
    • One of India’s most elegant middle-order batsmen
    • Played for Tata Group’s Air India after retirement.
    • Served as a selector and talent sponsor, contributing to the growth of young cricketers.
  4. Farokh Engineer
    • Wicketkeeper-batsman from the 1960s and 70s
    • Played for Tata’s Air India and later worked in public relations for the Tata Group.
    • Considered one of the best wicketkeepers of his era.
  5. Kapil Dev
    • 1983 World Cup-winning captain
    • Endorsed Tata Tea in the 1990s, contributing to corporate branding.
    • While not directly employed by Tata, his association with the group helped enhance its brand value.

1. Ravindra Shankar Pandit

Ravindra Shankar Pandit, popularly known as R.S. Pandit, is a first-class cricketer from Maharashtra who worked at Tata Steels.

Not as famous as some of his peers, Pandit played a crucial role on the Indian domestic circuit, mainly for Maharashtra.

His link with Tata Steel serves the purpose of helping him carry on with his passion for cricket besides his working life.

He was such a valued player in the early construction of Indian cricket that he will always be a hero honored for his efforts.

2. Madhav Apte

Madhav Apte was a former Indian Test cricket player right batting batsman who has played only seven Test matches for India as an opening batsman in his fifties.

Apte had an interlocking relationship with the Tata Group and was a director of Tata Tea.

Later on, he took up a job with Tata Group where he worked with Tata Oil Mills, helping in business after the years playing cricket for his nation.

But, the days Apte got to play for India were not many; before embarking on the international call he was an exemplary first-class player for Bombay, and his services in the business world cannot be measured.

In both sports and business, Manu’s achievements signified that what the Tata Group advocated for was an integrated outlook to the overall personality and sporting/busi-ness growth of its athletes.

3. Dilip Vengsarkar

A fabulous batman and rated one of the most elegant batsmen in India, Dilip Vengsarkar played for Tata Group’s Air India after retirement.

Vengsarkar was one of the Indian heroes of the 1980s playing with many specialists regarding him as one of the best middle-order batsmen in the world.

In the course of his stint with Tata, Vengsarkar served as a selector in the game as well as a talent sponsor to nurture fresh talent, hence continuing his contribution to cricket.

Such affiliation enabled him to work in both corporate as well as sports fraternities at the same time due to his association with the Tata group.

4. Farokh Engineer

Farokh Engineer, the colorful wicketkeeper-batsman of the 1960s and 70s, had played for Tata’s Air India.

Engineer, considered by many as one of the most charming cricketers to play from India, was an extraordinary wicketkeeper of his time.

The engagement of Tata Air India helped him have a firm base so he could concentrate on his cricket and playing for India in the higher level of International Cricket.

After retiring as a player, Engineer briefly served the Tata Group and was involved in public relations and in sports-related activities.

5. Kapil Dev

Mohinder Amarnath and Yashpal Sharma, who were part of the 1983 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team captained by Kapil Dev, have floated their discrete links with several big players companies, including Tata firms.

However, Kapil Dev’s official work with Tata was not directly with Tata, but he effectively marketed Tata Tea by endorsing the brand during the nineties.

Under Kapil Dev, who was more than just an all-round Indian cricketer, corporate branding like the Tata Group became part of that pre-liberalization India with organized sports.

Impact on Indian Cricket and Beyond

So job creation is not the only way the Tata group has helped Indian cricket in any way.

Tata Steel has always provided financial assistance to various cricket tournaments through its different companies has supported the development of cricket levels, and assisted Indian retired cricketers in obtaining IT jobs in Tata Companies.

This has helped cricket and other games, such as hockey, athletics, and tennis, for which Tata has been performing the same role.

All in all, it can be said that the partnership between Tata Group and cricket legends has proved to be fruitful for the players as well as the Tata group industry.

Employment growth was a rhythmic advantage for the cricketers and moreover, the future seemed secure and bright for them, not to mention that the fame was accompanied by sponsorship too, while Tata, on the other side of the badge, was getting benefits from being alongside some of the most respected icons of the country.

This innovative partnership lays testimony to Tata’s leadership commitment to supporting Indian sports as one of the first Indian corporates.

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