Darbari seth biography channel
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Though saddened, Mr Seth remained unfazed; in 1973, he became the vice chairman of TOMCO, and in less than a year turned it into a profit-making company.
Leading organisations and transforming them into profit-making businesses was something that came naturally to Mr Seth.
Thanks to his vision, today Babrala ranks among the top 10 percent of the most energy efficient and environment friendly fertiliser plants in the world.
He also re-engineered the Malaysian palm oil project, the biggest palm oil refinery project in the world back then, which was a feather in the cap of Tata group’s international efforts.
An institution builder
A champion of energy conservation and environment preservation, Mr Seth in 1974 established TERl (The Tata Energy Research Institute) which was renamed as The Energy and Resources Institute in 2003.
Darbari Seth, then-chairman of Tata Tea, and Krishna Kumar believed that in the long run, Tata Tea should shift from trading to branding. His vision found favor with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who lauded the project’s potential to drive the country’s progress.
Moreover, recognizing the importance of population management on the nation’s resources, Seth initiated a Family Planning program in Mithapur during the 1950s.
In an astonishing display of innovation and dedication, the plant surpassed expectations, reaching an impressive production capacity of 545 tonnes daily within the first two weeks.
Impact beyond business
Seth’s contributions extended far beyond the realms of business. Joining Tata Finlay (now Tata Tea) at a time when the tea industry was going through difficult times, he helped turn around the company.
As chairman of Rallis, he reorganised the company into an integrated service provider of agricultural products; thus, providing inputs to farmers on how to better manage their crops.
Recognising Tata Chemicals’ contribution to this cause, the government in 1963 helped in setting up a full-fledged grant-in-aid Family Planning Centre in Mithapur.
Mr Seth was held in high esteem by his peers as well as the industry.
Although Seth eventually stepped back from active leadership roles, he remained Chairman Emeritus for several companies, a testament to his enduring influence.
TERI organised the Twenty-Second Darbari Seth Memorial Lecture today.
Seth’s vision ensured TERI’s rapid growth, surpassing even his expectations in terms of reach and impact.
Darbari Seth’s story is one of unyielding determination, innovative thinking, and transformative leadership. Despite possessing over 50 tea gardens across India, the company’s executives realized that they had the tea but not the brand.
Many doubted the feasibility of this ambitious vision, but JRD Tata supported him.
By 1959, Tata Chemicals had successfully completed the first phase, installing a second lime kiln and expanding operations. The commodity portion of the firm was losing money due to cyclical price swings.
Industry, academia, philanthropy, and governments owe it to our future generations to collaborate on working out just and equitable solutions," stressed Mr Sharma in his lecture.
Delivering the Vote of Thanks and the contribution of the TATA group in establishing TERI Dr Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI noted, “It was the Tatas that gave meaning to the word Philanthropy.”
Highlighting Mr Seth’s contribution in building the strong foundation of TERI, Dr Dhawan urged colleagues to imbibe Mr Darbari Seth's work ethic, vision, and drive to work for the welfare of the #planet and the people.
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Darbari Seth’s Role in Tata Tea’s Transformation
Tata Tea started as a plantation company in the early 1980s but lacked a strong brand presence. He not only believed the expansion could be achieved in-house, but he also proposed a daring target of 400 tonnes per day, double the initially envisioned capacity.
His audacious vision was met with skepticism, with only JRD Tata himself standing in agreement.
Undeterred by skepticism, Seth’s leadership brought forth the ambitious “FHTP” (Four-Hundred Tonne Target of Soda Ash Production) program.
From Engineer to Business Visionary
Born on January 1, 1920, in Naushera (now in Pakistan), Darbari Seth graduated with an MSc Honours in Chemistry.
After gaining valuable experience at Dow Chemicals in the U.S., Seth returned to India to continue his journey at Tata Chemicals, bringing with him a wealth of knowledge and innovative thinking.
Championing innovation: The 400 tonne challenge
In 1957-58, a pivotal moment arrived for Tata Chemicals when the company sought to expand its soda ash manufacturing capacity.
His thirst for knowledge led him to the University of Cincinnati, where he earned an MS in Chemical Engineering.