Vijay Singh resigns from Sir Ratan Tata Trust:Tenure ends on 14 August; will remain in Sir Dorabji Tata Trust

Vijay Singh, Vice Chairman of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT), one of the two main trusts that control Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group, has resigned. Former Defence Secretary Vijay Singh’s current term is ending on August 14, and he has decided not to take another term. However, he will continue to remain as a trustee in the Tata Group’s other main trust, the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT). Tata Trusts – SRTT and SDTT hold approximately 66% stake in Tata Sons. Vijay Singh’s decision comes amid ongoing internal differences within the Tata Trusts and regulatory proceedings. Due to regulatory restrictions, SRTT is currently unable to conduct trustee meetings. Crisis over ₹400 crore donation and AGM due to Charity Commissioner’s stay The Maharashtra Charity Commissioner had issued an ex-parte order in May directing SRTT to postpone the proposed meeting of May 16. This order came after complaints questioning whether the SRTT board’s composition was in accordance with the amendment to the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, which limits the number of permanent or life trustees on the board to 25%. SRTT has appealed to the Maharashtra Charity Commissioner to get relief from this ban. The trust has warned that the continuation of this restriction could affect philanthropic grants worth approximately ₹400 crore. Additionally, the trust’s participation in the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Tata Sons scheduled for August 18 could also be hindered. Decision on Chandrasekaran’s Re-appointment to be Made at Tata Sons AGM At the Tata Sons AGM scheduled for August 18, a proposal to re-appoint Chairman N Chandrasekaran as Director is to be considered. Chandrasekaran’s continuation as Executive Chairman depends on whether he remains on the company’s board. SRTT has not been able to hold any meetings since the ban imposed in May. This has created uncertainty about how votes will be cast at the Tata Sons AGM and how representatives will be appointed. The trust says that due to this ban, approval of dividends received from Tata Sons, which fund its charitable programs, may also get stuck. Amendment to Maharashtra Public Trusts Act and SRTT’s Argument The main point of the legal dispute is the amendment to the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, which came into effect from September 1, 2025. This amendment limits the number of life trustees on the board of any public trust to a maximum of 25%. SRTT’s argument is that this rule applies prospectively, so it will not affect permanent appointments made before the law came into force. Later, the Charity Commissioner clarified that this restriction applies only to SRTT, not to other Tata trusts. Internal Differences Emerged After Ratan Tata’s Demise This period of regulatory scrutiny and disputes is being witnessed amid internal differences that emerged within Tata Trusts after the demise of Ratan Tata in October 2024. The tension became public in October 2025 when the trustees refused to extend the tenure of Mehli Mistry, a close associate of Ratan Tata. Following this, Mistry resigned from SRTT, SDTT, and Bai Hirabai Jamshedji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution. Mistry challenged the decision of his removal and made allegations related to governance and conflict of interest, which were dismissed by Tata Trusts. Controversies linked to other trusts as well Mehli Mistry had also raised questions about the eligibility of Vijay Singh and co-Vice Chairman Venu Srinivasan in the ‘Bai Hirabai Jamshedji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution’. Their argument was that according to the terms of the trust, it is necessary for the trustee to be a Parsi Zoroastrian and a permanent resident of Mumbai. Following this, Srinivasan resigned from that trust in April citing other business commitments, while Singh remained in the position. Additionally, in May, Vijay Singh and Venu Srinivasan also ceased to be trustees of the ‘Tata Education and Development Trust’, as their reorganization proposal could not achieve unanimity as per the trust’s rules. No response was received by the time of publication to emails sent to Tata Trusts and Vijay Singh for comments on this entire sequence of events and the resignations. What is the 25% rule of the ‘Maharashtra Public Trusts Act’? Under the amendment to the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, effective from September 1, 2025, the number of ‘life’ or ‘perpetual’ (lifetime) trustees in the governing board of any public charitable trust cannot exceed 25% of the total members. The purpose of this rule is to increase transparency in trusts and provide opportunities for new leadership from time to time. SRTT argues that this new rule does not apply to old perpetual appointments.