JNTE has an enviable pedigree. The first awardee was a woman; Dr. Freany K. Cama who went to Edinburgh and Dublin to study gynecology and midwifery.  Among the more outstanding individuals who have emerged from the ranks of J. N. Tata Scholars have been Dr. Raghvendra Rao, distinguished physician, Sir Ardeshir Dalal ICS, Member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council, Sir Nowrosji Wadia, Judge of the Bombay High Court, Dr. M. D.  Gilder, Health Minister of Bombay State, Dr. Jivraj Mehta who became Chief Minister of Gujarat, Mr. B. Narsinga Rau ICS, of the International Court at the Hague, Dr. V. K. R. V. Rao, former Union Minister of Education, Mr. V. T. Dehejia former Chairman, State Bank of India, Mr. S. Bhoothalingam ICS, Secretary, Ministry of Steel, Mr. V. Vishwanathan ICS, Governor of Kerala and Mr. K. R. Narayanan, President of India.

The next generation included Dr. Raja Ramanna Director, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Dr. Jayant V. Narlikar, the Astro-Physicist of Hoyle-Narlikar fame,  Dr. A. Sambasiva Rao who lead the Government of India’s development work in electronics, Dr. Minoo N. Dastur, the metallurgist and India’s leading consultant for the steel industry, Dr. Dinanath Rangnekar, Editor, The Economic Times, Dr. Bal D. Tilak, Director, National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Jamshed J. Irani, former Director, Tata Sons Limited, Dr. Dinshaw Jehangir Patel of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, New York, Mr. Srikant Madhav Datar, Senior Associate Dean and Director of Research of the Harvard Business School, Mr. T. R. Doongaji, former Managing Director, Tata Services Limited, Dr. Farok Contractor, Head, International School of Business, Rutgers University, Mr. Rahul Mehrotra, renowned Architect, Dr. G. G. Kalthod, former Principal of V.J.T.I., Mr. Yezdi H. Malegam who headed S. B. Billimoria & Co., Lord Karan Bilimoria, Member of the British House of Lords, Dr. Vikram Deshpande, Professor, Faculty of Engineering at the University of Cambridge, Mr. Rajeev Dubey, President, Member of the Group Management Board, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. and Mr. Jairam Ramesh, former Minister for Rural Development, Government of India, among others.