Tata’s academic accolades
Veteran scientist Anil Kakodkar and additional chief secretary of Maharashtra Sujata Saunk will be part of the council, with University vice chancellor Prof Suhas Pednekar and pro vice chancellor Prof Ravindra Kulkarni holding ex-officio posts. "An educationist and a social leader are yet to be nominated,” stated The Times of India, February 26.
While conferring Tata with an honorary degree of enterprise, vice president and chancellor of The University of Manchester Prof Dame Nancy Rothwell noted, "He is an example to big business, small enterprise, to researchers and developers, those who give and those who can give more. We believe that he will be an example to our students as they grow to become global citizens.” The award took place at a ceremony in Bombay on February 14 during Rothwell’s visit to the country. "Ratan is inspirational. For him, philanthropy and innovation are spokes of the same wheel, each leading towards the improvement of lives which is the very same ethos we share at The University of Manchester,” Rothwell was quoted in a press release posted on their website.
Lauding the growth of the Tata Group’s businesses under Tata’s leadership and the philanthropic activities of the Trusts, Rothwell enumerated the causes that Tata has championed — nutrition, sanitation, cancer care, rural poverty alleviation and social entrepreneurship. "It is this sense of social responsibility and philanthropy that links Ratan to The University of Manchester as the University also shares these values,” stated the press release.
Reporting on the award, indiatoday.in enumerated Tata’s previous honorary doctorates: in laws from York University, Canada 2014; automotive engineering from Clemson University, USA, 2015; engineering from Swansea University, UK in 2015; from Amity University, in 2019.