Somerville College at the University of Oxford has conferred its highest honour, the Foundation Fellowship, on Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, in recognition of his contribution to education and philanthropy.
Chandrasekaran, popularly known as “Chandra,” was elected to the Fellowship by the College’s Governing Body and outgoing Principal Baroness Jan Royall earlier this year. The formal ceremony was held on September 23 in the presence of Oxford Vice-Chancellor Professor Irene Tracey, India’s High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami, UK Prime Minister’s Adviser on Business and Investment Varun Chandra, along with dignitaries from the Tata Group and Oxford University.
The honour acknowledges Chandrasekaran’s instrumental role in enabling Somerville’s new flagship teaching and learning hub, the Ratan Tata Building. Named after his mentor and renowned philanthropist Ratan Tata, the building will house the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development (OICSD), which has led pioneering research on sustainability and development since 2013.
Catherine Royle, the new Principal of Somerville College, said, “Chairman Chandrasekaran is a shining testament to the power of meritocracy and hard work. This honour reflects his role in deepening the partnership between the College, the OICSD, and the Tata Group.”
Accepting the Fellowship, Chandrasekaran remarked, “Somerville has been championing social causes for nearly 150 years. Its values resonate with those of the Tata Group and the vision of Mr Ratan Tata. I believe the OICSD will continue to strengthen the Oxford–India partnership in tackling global environmental and social challenges.”
An alumnus of the Coimbatore Institute of Technology and the National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, Chandrasekaran has devoted over three decades to the Tata Group. Rising from Tata Consultancy Services to Chairman of Tata Sons in 2017, he now leads India’s largest business conglomerate.
The Foundation Fellowship cements a lifelong bond between Chandrasekaran and Oxford, underscoring both his personal achievements and the Tata Group’s legacy in advancing education and sustainable development.
