Industrialist and former Tata Steel Managing Director Jamshed Jiji Irani died in Jamshedpur on Monday night, reported the Hindustan Times. He was 86 years old.
Known as the Steel Man of India, Irani had served as the director of several Tata Group companies and was associated with them for 43 years. He retired from the board of Tata Steel in June 2011, according to The Hindu.
He is survived by his wife Daisy Irani and three children, Zubin, Niloufer and Tanaaz.
Jamshed Jiji Irani was conferred with the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award, in 2007 for his contribution to the steel industry. He was given several other honours, including being appointed as an International Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 1996 and an Honorary Knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in 1997.
He was also the president of the Confederation of Indian Industry for the 1992-’93 period.
After the news of his death broke, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal described Irani as a “changemaker, who helped build trust for Brand India globally”.
“India is invigorated by his spirit of enterprise,” he tweeted. “Prayers for the departed soul, condolences to his family.”
Jharkhand Health Minister Banna Gupta said that Irani will always be remembered as an administrator and a great leader.
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda offered his condolences to Irani’s family.
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