In a significant development for India's corporate philanthropy landscape, Tata Trusts has announced the induction of Neville Noel Tata and Bhaskar Bhat to the board of Sir Dorabji Tata Trusts, the largest philanthropic entity within the Tata ecosystem.
New Appointments Strengthen Trust Leadership
The Board of Trustees of Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT) held a meeting on Tuesday and unanimously approved the induction of both Mr. Bhaskar Bhat and Mr. Neville Tata as Trustees, effective from November 12, 2025, for a three-year term. The trust also appointed Mr. Venu Srinivasan as Trustee for the same period and designated him as Vice Chairman of SDTT.
At just 32 years old, Neville Tata becomes arguably the youngest trustee in the history of the philanthropic organization. His appointment comes exactly eleven months after his father, Noel Tata, assumed the chairman position at Tata Trusts, following the death of Ratan Tata on October 9 last year.
Expanding Influence in Tata Philanthropy
Sir Dorabji Tata Trust represents the largest philanthropic entity within the Tata network, holding a substantial 27.98% stake in Tata Sons, the holding company of the massive $300 billion Tata Group. Collectively, Tata Trusts control 65.9% of Tata Sons, giving them significant influence over the entire Tata empire.
The recent developments highlight Noel Tata's consolidation of control over the philanthropic entities. Earlier this year, in January, Noel secured approval to become a permanent trustee. More recently, in October, he joined forces with vice chairmen Venu Srinivasan and Vijay Singh to oppose the continuation of Mehli Mistry, who was considered Ratan Tata's confidante, on the Tata Trusts board.
Restructured Board Composition
With the addition of Bhat and Neville Tata, Sir Dorabji Tata Trust now comprises seven members, while the Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT) has six trustees. Noel Tata, along with TVS Motor Corp. chairman Emeritus Venu Srinivasan and retired defence secretary Vijay Singh, serve as members on both trusts.
Other notable trustees include Pramit Jhaveri, former CEO of Citibank India, and Mumbai-based lawyer Darius Khambata at SDTT. Khambata and Pune-based philanthropist Jehangir H.C. Jehangir serve as SRTT members, with Ratan Tata's brother, Jimmy N. Tata, being the sixth trustee at SRTT, though he no longer actively participates due to his advancing age.
Bhaskar Bhat brings considerable experience to his new role, having recently stepped down from the Tata Sons board after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70. During his remarkable 19-year tenure as CEO of Titan Co. Ltd, from April 1, 2002, to September 30, 2019, he oversaw phenomenal growth, taking the company's revenue from ₹700 crore to an impressive ₹15,000 crore.
Bhat represents one of the few Tata Group executives who has successfully transitioned to the Tata Trusts board. He was also among the senior Tata leaders who publicly supported Ratan Tata following the controversial removal of Cyrus Mistry as Tata Sons chairman in October 2016.
The appointment of Neville Tata continues a pattern of family involvement in leadership positions. Noel Tata currently holds multiple key positions, including chairman of Tata Trusts, board member of Tata Sons, and chairman of Trent Ltd, Tata International, and Tata Investment Corp.
Neville Tata's own corporate trajectory has been advancing steadily. Last year, he was appointed as the business head of Trent Ltd's grocery business, Star. Interestingly, during the final years of Ratan Tata's leadership, Neville regularly spent time with the business icon, which family members described as a mentorship relationship that has now culminated in his formal induction into the trusts' leadership.
