[2] Hormusji was a spinning master in the Advanced Mills at Ahmedabad and died in 1908[3][4] when Naval was only four years old.

After Naval’s father died, his mother relocated to Navsari, where she struggled to earn for the family.

Naval later graduated from Bombay University in Economics and proceeded to London for a short course in Accounting.

He never forgot his past and once remarked:[3] "I am grateful to God for giving me an opportunity to experience the pangs of poverty, which more than anything (else) moulded my character in later years of my life.

[9] He also served as a director of Bank of Baroda with Tulsidas Kilachand, Rameshwar Das Birla, Arvind Mafatlal and others.

Naval holds the record of being elected to the governing body of the International Labour Organization thirteen times.

[3] He contributed to sports, was associated with a host of other activities, and held senior offices in social, educational and welfare work.

[3][4] As a philanthropist, the Indian Cancer Society was established in 1951 by Naval Tata and Dr. D. J. Jussawalla, which is India's first voluntary, non-profit, national organisation for awareness, detection, cure and survivorship of those affected with this disease.

While JRD wanted to steer clear of politics, Naval stood as an independent candidate from South Bombay in 1971 but lost elections.

[13] The same year he was given recognition for his role in industrial peace and awarded the Sir Jehangir Ghandy Medal.