April-June 2020
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APRIL-JUNE 2020 EDITORIAL 3 Editorial Dear Readers, As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to unfold, it poses significant challenges for livelihoods, businesses and economies the world over. The Tata group has committed `1,500 crore to fight the invisible enemy. This issue of Tata Review focuses on the Tata group’s efforts in combating the novel coronavirus. The message from our Chairman, Mr N Chandrasekaran, recognises the resilience shown by Tata people and urges us to continue to collaborate as ‘One Tata’. The Cover story showcases how the group leveraged the ‘One Tata’ spirit to not just address the most critical needs in the healthcare and infrastructure spaces, but also in sectors like technology, communications, skilling and education among others. The Community story highlights the Tata Trusts’ pioneering efforts in supporting the Government of India to deploy emergency resources to cope with the crisis. The Trusts has been channelising support to the medical fraternity, augmenting healthcare facilities in India and reaching out to the marginalised sections of society through its ‘One Against Covid-19’ programme. Read the interview of TV Narendran, CEO & MD, Tata Steel, who shares insights on the impact of Covid-19 on the manufacturing sector with emphasis on the steel industry’s future. His counterpart Praveer Sinha from Tata Power throws light on the company’s efforts to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply as the country went into lockdown. The Special Report highlights the exemplary work of several Tata companies in enabling availability of essential goods and services across the country; ensuring business continuity in organisations around the world by providing the best in industry, technology and communications solutions; and adapting to new protocols and safety measures. Read about the Tata group Founder, Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata’s inspiring work during the bubonic plague epidemic in Mumbai (then Bombay) in 1896, which continues to be the guiding force towards the Tata group’s philanthropic efforts. The Tata People section salutes the indomitable spirit of Tata employees who have been working selflessly to fight against the disease on several fronts. As geographies around the world begin to reopen, Tata companies are adapting to the ‘new normal’ and gearing themselves to face the challenges of the post- Covid-19 world. We conclude this note with a steadfast belief that these stressful times, too, shall pass. So, stay positive. Group Corporate Communications team CONTENTS VOL 58 n Issue 1 n APrIL-June 2020 CHAIRMAN’S NOTE COVER STORY 06 Tata group’s response to 10 Numbers of hope the Covid-19 pandemic 10 06 13 16 22 ‘The most satisfying The factory that was built A hospital in weeks job of my career’ under lockdown 26 34 36 39 7 lakh people. 25 states. Standing with Learning A modern-day And counting Covid-19 warriors uninterrupted Feluda EDITORIAL TEAM PHOTO EDITOR Anita Gupta Tejal Pandey Farah Dada Haroon Bijli DESIGNED BY Harsha Ramachandra The Information Company Sanghamitra Bhowmik Sarika Kapoor Chokshi SPECIAL REPORT WELLNESS THROWBACK 87 119 42 87 Through the lockdown and after 119 Putting the people of India first 42 The new business as usual every time 44 Essentially efficient TATA PEOPLE 48 Ready to serve 51 Tech support 54 Connecting the world BACK CHAT 57 Building towards the future 122 The humanitarian spacefarer 61 Retail therapy Ron Garan IN CONVERSATION 90 90 Cleanliness first 64 92 Serving a nutritious meal 96 The power of ‘we can’ 99 64 Powering through the pandemic 69 Steeled for the future COMMUNITY 99 In the driver’s seat 101 Dispelling darkness after 9 Baje 9 Minute 103 Building to heal 106 Served with kindness 109 Doctor on call 122 112 Keeping the novel coronavirus at bay 74 114 Our retail heroes 117 Flying essentials 74 A Trusted Partner 85 Innovative Weavers COPYRIGHT disclaimer Tata Sons All matter in Tata Review is copyrighted. Material Group Corporate Communications published in the magazine can be reproduced Bombay House, with permission from the Tata Review team. 24, Homi Mody Street Mumbai 400 001 Phone: 91-22-6665-8282 Email: [email protected] 6 Tata Review | April-June 2020 Chairman’s note TATA GROUP’S RESPONSE TO THE Covid-19 pandemiC or our generation, there is little that compares to the six- month period we have just experienced due to the Covid-19 N Chandrasekaran pandemic. Travel, meetings, office, school and socialising Chairman, Tata Sons have all fallen victim. Overnight, we have had to reimagine Fhow we work. Through all of these rapid changes, I continue to be deeply impressed and gratified by the adaptability and resilience our people have displayed. Under the leadership of Mr Ratan N Tata, we committed `1500 crore as a group to Covid-19 relief. Tata employees have, in addition, contributed tens of crores towards various response projects. The past few months have been very challenging, but they have also been a great demonstration of the value of collaboration. I am proud of how we have worked together to battle this disease. Now, as we navigate the uncertain journey into the post-pandemic future, we will need to respond according to our principles of simplicity, synergy and scale and, above all, to foster the mindset of ‘One Tata’. Collaboration has been our watchword, and the pandemic has shown the importance of living by our principles. equipment A significant Covid-19 outbreak in India would quickly result in an acute shortage of ventilators, personal protective equipment (PPE) kits, masks and gloves, as well as Covid-19 testing kits. Amid soaring global demand, purchasing can be very difficult and lockdown makes guaranteed delivery problematic. We looked at this problem and pooled our knowledge to do more as a group than any one business could do alone. COLUMN 7 Drawing on the procurement expertise across Tata Steel, Tata AutoComp Systems (TACO) and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), we orchestrated a plan to buy large quantities of medical supplies from China, the US, South Korea and domestic sources. Our teams visited ventilator suppliers and underwent training in installation to help guide medical staff in India. To date, over a 1000 ventilators and respirators, 4 lakh PPE kits, 35 lakh masks and gloves, and 3.5 lakh testing kits have been procured. The result of the group’s collaboration was a series of interventions that were lifesaving. TESTING This pandemic will not be controlled unless we can test at scale. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) kits are a scarce commodity; reagents for testing have to be imported; and sample collection, processing and transport require specialised equipment and trained personnel. The Tata group has invested in technology to make testing easier, faster and cheaper. We completed a research pilot, with the help of the country’s most eminent scientists, that proved the value of a ‘Minimum Testing Maximum Intelligence’ approach in the Kolar district of Karnataka. This process uncovered evidence of silent transmission among high-risk groups such as health workers and police personnel which enabled us to predict the spread of the disease at a time when Kolar had no confirmed Under the positive Covid-19 cases. A detailed standard operating procedure of leadership of the testing strategy for national scaling was handed over to public health agencies to incorporate in lockdown exit efforts. Currently, Mr Ratan N Tata, the Kolar model is being adopted and refined in Jamshedpur. we committed Our investments in two novel testing technologies will not only `1500 crore help the Covid-19 fight but also have a huge potential beyond, for as a group to instance, in the diagnosis of other infectious diseases and genetic Covid-19 relief. diseases, as well as in the treatment for cancer. Both technologies are expected to be scaled up within the next quarter. Tata employees have, in addition, CAPACITY contributed tens Outbreaks of Covid-19 around the world have shown that if the of crores towards health system is overwhelmed, the consequences will be higher various response mortality rates. India needs many more quarantine and isolation facilities, ICU beds and dedicated Covid-19 treatment centres. projects.” 8 Tata Review | April-June 2020 Coordinated action across the group has provided a boost to India’s health capacity. Tata Sons, supported by Tata Projects, has helped local governments and municipal corporations expand the number of beds, treatment centres and isolation facilities by leveraging the group’s network of real estate assets and hospitals. Added to this, we are in the process of setting up entirely new Covid treatment facilities. This was made possible by inter-group co-operation: teams from Voltas, Tata Steel and Tata Consulting Engineers, as well as medical experts from Tata Trusts, each providing support and expertise; and group companies like TCS, among others, providing access to leased commercial space. To date, 2,000 beds have either been added or are currently in progress. self-relianCe This increase in capacity will lead, if it is pointed in the right direction, to increased self-reliance. This is why we have tasked ‘Tata Medical and Diagnostics’ with spearheading efforts to produce ventilators and new testing technologies. Soon, it will be expanded to other medical devices and diagnostics. Tata Motors, TACO and Voltas have all brought together their respective expertise in design, manufacturing and procurement; and, in consultation with medical experts from Tata’s hospital network and senior government officials, identified products for mass production. We’ve also started producing our own PPE kits — with over 9,000 distributed to date — to address immediate shortages. Under the aegis of Tata Digital, TECHNOLOGY we have recrafted The power of technology will underlie the future success of the Tata Bridgital healthcare delivery.