Ratan TATA donates $50 million to Harvard Business School

Harvard Business School has received a gift of $50 million from Tata Companies, the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the Tata Education and Development Trust, philanthropic entities of India's Tata Group. A conglomerate founded in 1868, the Tata Group owns 28 publicly listed enterprises across seven business sectors that have a combined market capitalization of $80 billion.

The gift, the largest from an international donor in the School's 102-year history, will fund a new academic and residential building on the HBS campus in Boston for participants in the School's broad portfolio of Executive Education programs. The School hopes to break ground for the building, which will be named Tata Hall, next spring.

Ratan Tata, the Chairman of Tata Sons Ltd. since 1991, attended the School's Advanced Management Program—one of three comprehensive leadership programs offered by HBS Executive Education—in 1975. He received the School's highest honor, the Alumni Achievement Award, in 1995.

"The Harvard Business School is the preeminent place to be exposed to the world's best thinking on management and leadership, and we are pleased that this gift will support the School's educational mission to mold the next generation of global business leaders," said Mr Tata.

President Drew Gilpin Faust added: "Ratan Tata knows firsthand the transformative educational opportunities offered through Harvard Business School's Executive Education programs. Thanks to this generous gift, HBS will be able to expand its already robust offerings in Executive Education, deepening ties with leaders across the country and around the globe."

Source: #-Link-Snipped-#