Jamshedpur: January 2, 1919, was a red letter day for Jamshedpur, when Lord Chelmsford, the then Governor General and Viceroy of India (1916 – 1921), visited the city for the first time, and renamed it from Sakchi to Jamshedpur, in the honour of its founder, Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, for the unstinting support that the Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO, now Tata Steel) had offered to Britain during the World War I. This resulted in for the war in the British favor in the Mesopotamian, Palestine and East African campaigns.
On the occasion, Lord Chelmsford said, “I can hardly imagine what we should have done during these four years (of the First World war) if the Tata Company had not been able to gift us steel rails which have been provided for us , not only for Mesopotamia but for Egypt, Palestine and East Africa, and I have come to express my thanks…It is hard to imagine that 10 years ago, this place was scrub and jungle ; and here, we have now, this place set up with all its foundries and its workshops and its population of 40,000 to 50,000 people. This great enterprise has been due to the prescience, imagination of the late Mr Jamsetji Tata. This place will see a change in its name and will no longer be known as Sakchi, but will be identified with the name of its founder, bearing down through the ages the name of the late Mr Jamsetji Tata. Hereafter, this place will be known by the name of Jamshedpur.”
29,000 tons of steel were supplied for the war effort, majorly used for making rails. A small quantity of shell bar steel was used, which were rolled into round bars for producing cases for shells. The shells were manufactured in the ordnance factories, which were not a part of Tata Steel.
The commemorative function of 100 Years of Jamshedpur was celebrated on February 17, 2020. Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, Hon’ble Vice President of India, was the chief guest of the celebration. The commemorative postal stamp and coffee table book were released to commemorate 100 years of Jamshedpur. Addressing the gathering the Hon’ble Vice President of India applauded the Tata group for its ethical approach to business and commended Tata Steel for its contribution towards improving the quality of life of the community for over 100 years.
Today, Jamshedpur is synonymous with more than just steel. Being one of the first planned cities of India, first-time visitors discover a clean and green city with shady trees and well laid roads, stadiums, parks, and orderly neighbourhoods. The city is well-known for sports; its golf tournaments draw enthusiasts across the country, it has hosted national and international cricket matches, and is an established national center for football and archery.
