Xerxes Desai
Xerxes Desai | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1937 |
| Died | 27 June 2016 (aged 78–79) |
| Alma mater | Elphinstone College Oxford University |
| Known for | First managing director of Titan Company |
| Spouse | Rajni Desai[1] |
Xerxes Desai (1937 – 27 June 2016) was the first managing director of Titan Company, an Indian watchmaking company, and played an instrumental role in laying the foundation of the company.[2]
Biography
[edit]Desai was a graduate of Elphinstone College (Mumbai University) and Oxford University.[2]
Desai joined Tata Administrative Services in 1961 after graduation, working at several of their companies.[3] He founded Titan as a joint venture with J. R. D. Tata in 1986, with support from the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation.[4] He had suggested the idea of a watchmaking company to Tata in the 1970s, who liked it, but bureaucratic hassles took time till the company was opened in 1986 in Hosur.[5][6][7]
In 1994, Desai challenged engineers at Titan to design the world's thinnest watch, with a movement 1.15mm thick inside a 3.5mm case.[8] The watch, called the Titan Edge was introduced in 2002.[9]
After Titan's success, Desai founded Tanishq, a jewelry brand. He had innovative ideas like asking people in Bangalore to get their jewelry appraised in 1999. The jewelry business grew over time, after a slow start.[10]
Desai retired in 2002, and was succeeded by his protégé Bhaskar Bhat.[11]
Post retirement
[edit]Desai was awarded a Lifetime Achievement award by the National Institute of Design during its 4th Design Excellence Awards in 2006.[12]
Post retirement, Desai was a part of the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) initiative by Nandan Nilekani.[13]
Death
[edit]Desai died from illness in Bangalore, where he had lived for 30 years, on 27 June 2016, at the age of 79.[14]
References
[edit]- ^ Sharma, Shalini (28 June 2016). "Titan founder Xerxes Desai dies of dengue in Bengaluru". OneIndia. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
- ^ a b Tandon, Suneera (9 June 2016). "Xerxes Desai: The timekeeper". Live Mint. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- ^ "Titan's founding MD Xerxes Desai passes away at 79". The Economic Times. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
- ^ "Titan's founding MD Xerxes Desai dies at 79 - Times of India". Times of India. 28 June 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- ^ "Xerxes Desai: The man behind Titan's success". Rediff. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- ^ "Xerxes Desai, the Titan who changed the way Indians kept time dies". The Financial Express. 29 June 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- ^ Ghoshal, S. (4 March 2002). "The Indian Watch Industry: Titanic Changes". World Class In India. Penguin Books Limited. ISBN 9789351180272.
- ^ Satpathy, Anurag; Agrawal, Arjun; Mohapatra, Sanjay (16 November 2015). Innovation Strategy for Enterprises in Emerging Economies: Case Studies for the Digital Age. Emerald Group Publishing. pp. 115–117. ISBN 9781785604805.
- ^ Narang, Rajiv; Devaiah, Devika (3 January 2014). Orbit-Shifting Innovation: The Dynamics of Ideas that Create History. Kogan Page Publishers. pp. 165–166. ISBN 9780749468767.
- ^ Krishnan, Raghu. "Xerxes Desai: The titan behind the timekeeper". Business Standard. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- ^ "A Titan Departs". Business Today Archives. 14 April 2002. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- ^ "Xerxes at NID Awards, 2006". www.indiatodayimages.com. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- ^ "Nandan, Rohini Nilekani gift IIHS Rs 50 cr - Indian Express". archive.indianexpress.com. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- ^ Skariachan, Dhanya (27 June 2016). "Xerxes Desai, founder of Titan, dies". Live Mint. Retrieved 3 July 2016.