Honorary Knighthood For J J Irani

He will not be addressed as Sir Jamshed, but Tata Steel managing director J J Irani was quietly invested as a Knight of the British Empire on Tuesday evening by Queen Elizabeth. Irani co-chairs the Indo-British Partnership. The British co-chairman, Terence Harrison, was knighted last year.

This is not the first honorary knighthood for an Indian. Given with the permission of the Indian government, it allows Irani to use the letters KBE after his name, but not the title Sir before it. India has given similar national honours to foreign nationals, including the Bharat Ratna to President Nelson Mandela of South Africa.

 

Yesterday, Irani was his usual low-key self. He said he had received many honours and had not worked for this one. Four persons were allowed at the investiture. Irani took his family. Tata group chairman Ratan Tata was in town but did not attend.