Inside Tata Power Struggle: Chandrasekaran, Noel Tata and the Trusts Dispute
The Tata Sons dispute is widening beyond N Chandrasekaran and Noel Tata, with disagreements inside Tata Trusts raising questions over governance and authority.
The power struggle at Tata Sons is widening beyond Chairman N Chandrasekaran and Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata, with disagreements emerging within the Trusts over governance and the future structure of the holding company.
Tata Trusts owns about 66% of Tata Sons, making its institutional position crucial. Trustees Venu Srinivasan and Vijay Singh have questioned how a September 28 proposal to restructure Tata Sons was approved and communicated, saying they were not consulted before it was sent to the company’s board.
The restructuring plan has been presented as an alternative to a potential Tata Sons listing and could change the company’s regulatory status. However, the proposal still requires consideration by Tata Sons and necessary regulatory approvals.
The disagreement follows the Tata Sons board’s September 17 approval of Chandrasekaran’s five-year reappointment. Noel Tata opposed the decision, while Srinivasan supported it. Tata Trusts later challenged the validity of the resolution, while Tata Sons maintained that the appointment was valid.
Another governance question involves Hanno One Warehousing, linked to Chandrasekaran’s family, and projects connected with TVS Motor. Since Srinivasan is associated with the TVS Group, questions have been raised about potential disclosure or recusal requirements. Tata Sons has said the relevant interests were disclosed and that the transactions did not require separate board disclosure.
What began as a leadership dispute has now become a broader debate over who can speak for Tata Trusts, how decisions are authorised and how far shareholder influence extends into Tata Sons. Basically, the boardroom drama has acquired several more rooms.
