The Sir Ratan Tata Trust made a significant move on Saturday by cancelling its scheduled board meeting. This meeting was expected to consider the important matter of inducting Neville Tata, son of chairman Noel Tata, as a trustee.
Other Tata Trusts Proceed Normally
In contrast to this cancellation, board meetings of two other prominent Tata trusts proceeded without interruption. The Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the Tata Education and Development Trust both held their meetings as originally planned.
Unanimous Approval Requirement Creates Delay
The cancellation strongly suggests that Neville Tata's appointment faces postponement. Trustees likely need more time for discussions since appointing a new trustee requires unanimous approval from all board members. No new date has been announced for the rescheduled SRTT meeting.
When contacted for comment about the cancellation, Tata Trusts did not respond to email queries. This silence adds to the uncertainty surrounding the timing of Neville Tata's potential induction.
Overlapping Trustee Roles
The three Tata trusts share several trustees in common. Most SRTT trustees, including Noel Tata, Venu Srinivasan, Vijay Singh, and Darius Khambata, also serve on the SDTT board. These individuals participated in SDTT's Saturday meeting despite the SRTT cancellation.
Only two SRTT trustees stand apart from this overlap. Jehangir HC Jehangir and Jimmy Tata do not share board positions across these trusts. Jimmy Tata, who is Noel Tata's older half-brother, typically does not attend SRTT meetings.
Previous Induction Attempts Failed
Saturday's development continues unresolved issues from November 2025. During that period, both Neville Tata and former Titan managing director Bhaskar Bhat received approval for induction from SDTT. However, SRTT failed to approve their appointments at that time.
SDTT and SRTT together control India's largest conglomerate, the Tata Group. Their coordinated decisions significantly impact the entire organization's governance structure.
November 2025 Meeting Details
At the November 11, 2025 SDTT meeting, trustees proposed both inductions. Darius Khambata put forward Neville Tata's name, while Noel Tata proposed Bhaskar Bhat. Interestingly, neither name appeared on the formal board agenda for that meeting.
All attending SDTT trustees approved both appointments. Venu Srinivasan did not participate in this meeting because his term had already expired. Later that same day, SRTT considered both proposals but decided to postpone them for future discussion.
Srinivasan's Reservations
During the SRTT meeting, Venu Srinivasan expressed clear reservations about the process. He noted that these proposals were not listed on the official agenda. Srinivasan suggested that such important matters should not be raised under "any other items for discussion."
While agenda items can be introduced with the chairman's permission, Srinivasan recommended considering these appointments at the next scheduled board meeting. His concerns apparently influenced the decision to delay both inductions.
Current Status of Appointments
This time, Neville Tata's appointment formally appeared on the SRTT agenda. However, the meeting's cancellation prevented any discussion or vote. Bhaskar Bhat's name did not appear on Saturday's agenda at all.
Neville Tata did participate in Saturday's SDTT meeting. This marked his first formal role at the flagship foundation, even as his trustee status at SRTT remains uncertain.
The cancellation creates another delay in what has become a prolonged process. Trustees now have additional time to consider Neville Tata's potential appointment before the next scheduled meeting.
