HQ Team
January 15, 2025: Tata Group, a $165 billion Indian conglomerate, is set to build a medical school in the southern technology hub of Bengaluru by partnering with the country’s premier science body, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).
Tata Sons, the principal investment holding company and promoter of Tata companies, will grant five billion rupees ($57.8 million) to establish the school that will combine clinical research and medical education.
It will focus on oncology, cardiology, neurology, nephrology, diabetes and metabolic disorders, infectious diseases, integrative medicine, and public health.
The Tata IISc Medical School will offer integrated MD-PhD and other dual degree programmes to create a new cadre of physician-scientists and medical technologists, according to a statement from the institute.
Global partnerships
These students will be trained in the medical school as well as science and engineering labs at IISc. It will also collaborate with renowned medical schools from across the world to enable students to acquire global expertise, knowledge and practices.
“Healthcare is one of India’s biggest challenges and also one of its greatest opportunities, given the scale at which technology will be able to transform everything from diagnosis to care and community health,” said N Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons.
Sixty-six percent of the equity share capital of Tata Sons is held by philanthropic trusts, which support education, health, livelihood generation and art and culture.
“In time, the institute’s emphasis on cutting-edge research and global collaboration will create a highly qualified cadre of physician-scientists trained in the latest approaches to modern medicine. Their effect will be felt across the spectrum of healthcare, and will help individuals access quality treatment.”
Mysore royal family
The IISc was established in 1909 by a partnership between the industrialist Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, the Mysore royal family and the Government of India. Over the last 115 years, IISc has become India’s premier institute for advanced scientific and technological research and education.
“After a century of contributions to science and engineering, we now have a unique opportunity to create new frontiers in medicine. We are firmly committed to carrying forward this legacy and breaking new ground in creating affordable healthcare solutions for India and the rest of the world,” said Prof G Rangarajan, Director of the IISc.
The Tata Group comprises 30 companies across ten verticals. The group operates in more than 100 countries across six continents. In 2023-24, the revenue of Tata companies, taken together, was more than $165 billion. These companies collectively employ over 1 million people.
There are 26 publicly listed Tata enterprises with a combined market capitalisation of more than $365 billion as of March 31, 2024.
