Canada India Foundation is pleased to announce the winner of the 2010 CIF
Chanchlani Global Indian Award, Mr. Ratan N. Tata

OAKVILLE, ON, April 6 /CNW/ - Canada India Foundation is pleased to announce that the winner of the 2010 CIF Chanchlani Global Indian Award is the legendary entrepreneur and philanthropist Mr. Ratan N. Tata. The award will be presented at the Annual Award Gala of Canada India Foundation, to be held in Vancouver on May 15, 2010, said Mr. Barj Dhahan, Gala Chair and Co-Chair of Canada India Foundation.

Mr. Ratan Tata is the Chairman of the Tata Group, India's largest business conglomerate. Mr. Tata joined the Tata Group in 1962 and, in 1991, replaced his predecessor, JRD Tata, as Chairman of Tata Sons. Since then, the Group's revenues have increased 12-fold. Recent acquisitions under Mr. Tata's guidance include Jaguar & Land Rover from Ford Motor Company and Corus Group, an Anglo-Dutch steel producer.

Mr. Tata was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award in 2008. He was also appointed an honorary Knight Commander of the British Empire in 2009. In addition to being the Chairman of Tata Sons, he is also the Chairman of major Tata companies, including Tata Motors and Tata Chemicals, as well as being on the board of directors of U.S.-based Alcoa Inc. and Italy-based Fiat SpA. He is the Chairman of two of the largest private-sector philanthropic trusts in India. A gentleman extraordinaire, Mr. Ratan Tata has earned respect throughout the business world through successful acquisitions and sound business practices that has become the business governance standard to emulate. His dream of manufacturing a low-cost and environmentally friendly car that more people in India could afford to drive was realized when the Tata Nano, also known as 'the People's Car', with an end-user cost of only $2,500, went into production last year and has since received world-wide acclaim.

Canada India Foundation created the CIF Chanchlani Global Indian Award to recognize the individual who has demonstrated global leadership, vision and professional excellence, which has made people of Indian origin around the globe proud of their heritage. Mr. Tata exemplifies those qualities of the CIF Chanchlani Global Indian Award through his international business ventures, professional appeal, and philanthropic endeavours, said Mr. Ramesh Chotai, Chair, Canada India Foundation.

On November 26, 2008, India as well as the entire civilized world was shocked by gruesome acts of terror in Mumbai that killed 173 people and wounding hundreds of others. One of the key targets of the attack was the landmark Taj Mahal Hotel, owned by the Tata Group. Mr. Tata's leadership in the aftermath of the terror attacks, particularly his commitment to the victims of the attack, has inspired people around the world. Mr. Aditya Jha, National Convenor, Canada India Foundation, said that, in recognition of this, CIF will be including a special cash award of Rs. 1 Crore (CDN$ 225,000) for the families of the victims, to be given to Mr. Tata along with the CIF Chanchlani Global Indian Award.

About Canada India Foundation:

Canada India Foundation is a national, non-profit, non-partisan, non-governmental organization established in 2007 to foster support for stronger bi-lateral relations between Canada and India; to educate Canadians on the changing face of India and to increase the participation of Indo-Canadians in the public policy process in Canada to serve the mutuality of interests of both Canada and India. CIF's founding members include entrepreneurs, senior Canadian business executives and top tier professionals. For more details, please visit www.canadaindia.org.

For further information: Manoj Pundit, Spokesperson, Canada India Foundation, [phone] or [email protected]