Happy founder’s Day

I think I’ve been writing too prolifically today, but then I can’t help it. I just have to write this!

 

March 3, is celebrated as Founder’s day, in the city of Jamshedpur. Jamshedji Nausherwanji Tata, scouting for a suitable place to set up a steel plant, chanced upon this quaint location, early in the last century. The vision Mr. Tata had, has now translated into a modern, well-maintained city, with one of the highest per capita incomes in the country!

 

While building the city, Jamshedji Tata had said, “Be sure to lay wide streets planted with shady trees, every other of a quick growing variety. Be sure that there is plenty of space for lawns and gardens; reserve large areas for football, hockey and parks; earmark areas for Hindu temples, Mohammedan mosques and Christian churches."

 

And true to his vision, the city has turned out be one of the two most well-planned cities in India. (The other one being my hometown – the ‘City Beautiful’ – Chandigarh, designed by French architect Le Corbusier.) Some facts about Jamshedpur, which I found through Google:

 

a) The Tata Steel plant covers nearly one-fourth the land area of Jamshedpur.

b) It is probably the only city in India that does not have a municipal corporation. In fact, residents protested when the government tried to take over the Tata-run utility services company, and replace it with a municipality.

c) It is the only ISO 9005 certified city of India.

d) It ranked ahead of cities like Bangalore, Pune, and Chandigarh when it won the 2004 Global Compact City Award from the UN. (There are only 10 cities in the world with this privilege.)

 

 

So, we, a group of students from XLRI, decided to go and visit the nearby areas, to take a look at the decorations. Here are some pictorial snippets of the visit.