UK Confers KBE To Tata Group’s Chairman For ‘Contribution To Advancing Bilateral Growth’

Last Updated:March 18, 2026, 11:11 PM IST

British High Commissioner awarded the Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire to Tata Group’s chairman N Chandrasekaran for his UK-India growth contributions.

Tata Group chairman N Chandrasekaran has been awarded the KBE award. (Lindy Cameron/X)

British High Commissioner to India Lindy Cameron on Wednesday presented the Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) to Tata Group’s chairman.

In a post on X, Cameron said: “The Tata Group is among the biggest Indian employers in the UK. I am pleased to present its Chairman, N Chandrasekaran the KBE on behalf of His Majesty The King.”

“A well-deserved recognition and a testament to his impact on global business and his many contributions to advancing UK-India’s growth,” she added.

Born in 1963 in Mohanur, a small village in Tamil Nadu’s Namakkal district, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, the chairman of Tata Sons, was one of the most trusted associates of late philanthropist Ratan Tata. After Tata stepped down from his leadership role, Chandrasekaran succeeded him. His journey started with a humble farming family in Tamil Nadu and led to the pinnacle of India’s largest conglomerate.

Later, the Tata Group shared a post thanking the British High Commissioner for the award. “Today, our Group Chairman N. Chandrasekaran has been presented the insignia of the Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) for services to UK-India business relations. Congratulations Sir!” they said.

In 2014, then Tata group Chairman Emeritus Ratan Tata became the first Indian since independence to receive the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE), one of the highest civilian honours of the UK.

He was presented the award by British High Commissioner to India on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II.

Queen Elizabeth II had conferred on Tata the honorary award of Knight Commander of the Order of British Empire (KBE) in 2009.

In 2024, Sunil Bharti Mittal, founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises, became the first Indian recipient of an honorary Knighthood bestowed by Britain’s King Charles III. Mittal received a KBE under the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

The KBE is among the highest honours conferred by the British Sovereign to civilians. The KBE, conferred for a pre-eminent contribution in any field of activity, is awarded in an honorary capacity to foreign nationals. While the Knighthood conferred on UK nationals gives them the title of Sir or Dame, non-UK nationals awarded the honour add KBE (or DBE for women) after their name. Previous Indian recipients of the Honorary KBE include Ratan Tata (2009), Ravi Shankar (2001) and Jamshed Irani (1997), conferred by the late Queen Elizabeth II.

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