Tata Sons Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran was honoured with the prestigious "Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur" (Knight of the Legion of Honour) by French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna on Wednesday.

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Chandrasekaran was honoured for his substantial role in developing and fostering commercial links between France and India. The Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI), in collaboration with Business France, hosted the 5th edition of the Indo-French Business Awards (IFBA) and Grand Prix VIE, which witnessed the presence of esteemed guests, including H.E. Mr Édouard Philippe, former Prime Minister of France and Mayor of Le Havre.

Our Chairman N Chandrasekaran receives the Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur from French Minister for Europe & Foreign Affairs @MinColonna. He was conferred the highest civilian award of France for his contributions to strengthening the trade relationship between India & France. pic.twitter.com/Rk4vJcjQHq

— Tata Group (@TataCompanies) May 17, 2023

The award ceremony, held at the Residence of France, brought together more than 150 CEOs and business leaders representing prominent Indo-French companies across diverse sectors such as aerospace and defence, mobility, energy, consumer goods, agro-industry, and luxury.

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With approximately 25 French research and development centres, 15 joint Indo-French research institutes, and 500 collaborative projects in India, France has established itself as one of India's most important scientific partners. The IFCCI emphasised that the Indo-French business strength was evident in the recent landmark deal between Tata Group-owned Air India and Airbus, which involved the purchase of 250 planes, making it the largest deal in the history of the aviation industry.

Natarajan Chandrasekaran, popularly known as Chandra in corporate circles, was appointed as the Chairman of Tata Sons in 2017. Last year, he received a five-year extension in his role. Chandra began his journey with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in 1987 as a graduate trainee after graduating from Trichy's Regional Engineering College. Over the course of his more than two-decade-long tenure at TCS, he steadily climbed the ranks and became the CEO in 2009.

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Till 2017, Chandrasekaran served as the CEO and MD of TCS for eight years. During that time, the business generated total revenues of $16.5 billion in 2015–16, securing its position as the largest private sector employment and the most valuable corporation in India. He also served on the board of the Reserve Bank of India from 2016 to 2022, further contributing to his remarkable career.

Chandrasekaran has also been appointed as the chair of B20 India by the Central government. In this role, he will lead the business agenda during India's G20 presidency. He is also heading the new Economic Advisory Council of Maharashtra, which was announced by the state government in December 2022.