Ratan Tata, an Indian industrialist and philanthropist, has been conferred with the Order of Australia, which is the highest civilian award given by the Australian government.
Order of Australia
He was earlier appointed as an Honorary Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia for his significant contributions towards strengthening the ties between India and Australia, especially in the areas of business and trade.
About Ratan Tata
- Ratan Tata was born on December 28, 1937, in Mumbai (Maharashtra).
- He is the grandson of Jamsetji Tata, the founder of the Tata Group, one of India’s largest conglomerates.
- Ratan Tata holds a degree in architecture from Cornell University and a degree in advanced management from Harvard Business School.
- He joined the Tata Group in 1962 and became chairman in 1991, leading the company for over two decades until his retirement in 2012.
- Under his leadership, the Tata Group expanded globally, acquiring companies such as Jaguar Land Rover, Tetley Tea, and Corus Steel.
- Ratan Tata is also known for his philanthropic efforts, having established the Tata Trusts, which support various social causes such as education, healthcare, and rural development.
- Ratan Tata is a successful businessman who used to be the Chairman of the Tata Group and is currently the Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons. He is known to be one of the richest entrepreneurs in the world, with a net worth of over $1 billion as of 2022.
- Despite his immense success, he is humble and respected as a leader in India. Apart from his business achievements, Ratan Tata is also known for his charitable work and inspiring speeches.
- Here are some awards and honours received by Ratan Tata:
- Padma Bhushan (2000)
- Padma Vibhushan (2008)
- Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) (2014)
- Sayaji Ratna Award (2013)
- Legend in Leadership Award (2010)
- Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (2018)
- Honorary Citizen of Singapore (2014)
- Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (2014)
- Honorary Officer of the Order of Australia (2022)
About the Order of Australia
- The Order of Australia is the pre-eminent way Australians recognise the achievements and service of their fellow citizens.
- It was established on 14 February 1975 by Queen Elizabeth II on the recommendation of the Australian Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam.
- The Order of Australia has three levels of awards: Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), and Member of the Order of Australia (AM).
- The awards are given to people who have made significant contributions to Australian society, in fields such as medicine, education, science, sports, business, and the arts.
- The nominations for the awards are made by the public and are reviewed by the Council for the Order of Australia, which makes recommendations to the Governor-General.
- The Order of Australia is not awarded to serving politicians or judges, except in exceptional circumstances.
- Recipients of the awards are entitled to use post-nominal letters after their name.
India – Australia Ties
- Australia and India have had diplomatic relations since before India gained independence. The Consulate General of India was opened as a Trade Office in Sydney in 1941.
- Australia and India signed a historic uranium supply deal in 2014. This was the first such agreement with a non-signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The deal was made in recognition of India’s “impeccable” non-proliferation record.
- India and Australia share several commonalities that form the basis of their bilateral relationship.
- They are both pluralistic, Westminster-style democracies with Commonwealth traditions.
- Their economic engagement is expanding, and there is increasing high-level interaction.
- Both countries have strong, vibrant, secular, and multicultural democracies, a free press, an independent judicial system, and share the English language.
- These common traits provide a solid foundation for closer cooperation between India and Australia.
- In 2020, the leaders of India and Australia had a meeting and decided to upgrade their relationship from a Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They also signed an agreement to support each other’s logistics.
- In September 2021, ministers from both countries met for a 2+2 dialogue, and in June 2022, the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Australia visited India to further enhance their relationship.
- Australia will host the “Malabar” exercise in August 2023, and India, Japan, and the US will participate.
- India has also been invited to join the Talisman Sabre exercises in 2023.
- Both India and Australia are members of several organisations and have participated in the East Asia Summits.
- In March 2023, the Australian Prime Minister visited India to strengthen the relationship through trade, investment, and defence relations.
