Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata has launched a book on the Taj Mahal Hotel - The Taj at Apollo Bunder - that chronicles the 108 years history of the most iconic hotel, which was also the worst victim of the dastardly terror attack on the city in 2008.

The book was launched last evening on the occasion of the 108th anniversary of the Taj Mahal Palace here and also the 110th year of inception of Indian Hotels Company, which runs the 126 properties of Taj group of hotels spanning 15 countries.

Unveiling the much-awaited coffee table book, priced at Rs 5,495, Tata said, the entire proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the Taj Public Welfare Trust, which was instituted after the 26/11 terror attack on the metropolis and also on the hotel in which nearly 160 people lost their lives.

Written by British historian Charles Allen and city historian Sharada Dwivedi, the book captures the rich and profound history of the Taj Mahal Palace from the time of its conceptualisation in the 1890s to the present day. The authors have spent over two decades researching the history and milestones of the Taj.

The Taj opened its doors to business on December 16, 1903. The book chronicles the vision of the founder Jamshetji Nuserwanji Tata, and how he played a leading role in restoring the faith and prosperity of the plague-infested Bombay by building an architectural marvel for tourists of all class and race.

"A hotel becomes a legend because of its patrons who keep coming back and because of its people who provide the emotional connect for its patrons. The Taj is one such legend, its name synonymous with warm hospitality.

"It is a matter of satisfaction that the saga of Indian Hotels, in which the story of the Taj holds the centre stage, has finally found expression in this extremely readable and enjoyable book," Chairman Tata said in his foreword to the book.