The Steel Man of India Dr. Jamshed J Irani is no more. Padma Bhushan Dr. JJ Irani, who served Tata Steel for 43 years, passed away on Monday (31 October 2022) at 10 pm at TMH Jamshedpur. Irani was associated with Tata Steel for more than four decades. He retired from the board of Tata Steel in June 2011, leaving behind a legacy of 43 years. He had brought the company international fame in various fields.

Born on June 2, 1936 in Nagpur to Jiji Irani and Khorsed Irani, Dr. Irani completed her Bachelor of Science degree from Science College, Nagpur in the year 1956 and Master of Science degree in Geology from Nagpur University in the year 1958. JN Tata from Sheffield in the UK, where he earned his Masters in Metallurgy in 1960 and PhD in Metallurgy in 1963.

In 1981, Dr. Irani joined the board of Tata Steel. He was also a non-executive director for a decade from the year 2001. Apart from Tata Steel and Tata Sons, Dr. Irani also served as a Director in several Tata Group companies including Tata Motors and Tata Teleservices.

Dr. Irani was the National President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for the year 1992-93. He got many honors.

His appointment as an International Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 1996 and an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in 1997 for his contributions to Indo-British trade and cooperation.

In the year 2004, the Government of India appointed Dr. Irani as the Chairman of the Expert Committee for the formation of the new Companies Act of India.

He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in the year 2007 for his contribution to the industry. He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Government of India in 2008 in recognition of his services in the field of metallurgy.

Dr JJ Irani will be remembered as a visionary leader who led Tata Steel during India's economic liberalization in the early 1990s and contributed significantly to the growth of the steel industry in India. Dr. Irani was an early leader of the quality movement in India. He enabled Tata Steel to become the lowest cost steel producer in the world, with a focus on quality and customer satisfaction, to compete in the international market.

He was instrumental in launching the Tata Education Excellence Program in the year 2003 to improve the quality of educational facilities through a calibrated approach adopted from the renowned Malcolm Baldridge Performance Excellence Criteria.

Dr JJ Irani was a keen sportsman. He played cricket till his last time and followed its rules. His passion was collecting stamps and coins. As a metallurgist, his interest in the research, development and collection of metals and minerals is celebrated. His love for the city of Jamshedpur has done many important works, the benefits of which will continue to be given to the citizens. His active public life will always continue to inspire generations to come. He is survived by his wife Daisy Irani and their three children Zubin, Nilofar and Tanajo.