Tata Trusts battle: Mehli Mistry calls it quits

Sends letter to Chair Noel Tata saying 'precipitating matters would cause irreparable harm to the reputation of the Tata Trusts'

Mistry’s ceasefire has come days after he filed a caveat petition before the Maharashtra Charity Commissioner, requesting that he be given “a fair hearing” before any formal move is made to remove him as a trustee of Tata Trusts.

Former Tata Trusts trustee Mehli Mistry, who was involved in a tussle with Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata and other trustees, has parted ways with the Tata group saying that “precipitating matters would cause irreparable harm to the reputation of the Tata Trusts”.

In a letter to Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata, Mistry, a close associate of Ratan Tata, said, “my commitment to Ratan N Tata’s vision includes a responsibility to ensure that the Tata Trusts are not plunged into controversy.” In his missive, Mistry said, “I part ways with a quote that Ratan Tata used to say to me, “Nobody is bigger than the institution it serves.”

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A top level source told The Indian Express that the parting of ways by Mistry would bring peace in the group. “It’s not known what led to the sudden decision of Mistry to end the dispute. He might have got legal advice against going in for a legal battle,” he said.

“It has been my privilege to serve as a Trustee, an opportunity granted through the personal endorsement of the late Ratan N Tata, my dearest friend and mentor, with the confidence that / would remain committed to his ideals,” Mistry said in the letter, which was reviewed by The Indian Express. “However, I have been made aware of the recent reportage surrounding my trusteeship in the Tata Trusts, upon my return to Mumbai last night. I believe that this letter should assist in putting the quietus on speculative news reports that do not serve the interests of the Tata Trusts and are inimical to its vision,” Mistry said.

According to Mistry, the Tata Trusts have been synonymous with integrity and service to the nation. “It has been my privilege to serve as a Trustee till 28-10-2025, an honour bestowed upon me by Ratan Tata. In discharging my duties towards the Tata Trusts, I have been guided by his vision of ethical governance, quiet philanthropy and utmost integrity,” he said. “Therefore, in the spirit of Ratan N Tata, who always put public interest before his own, I hope that the actions of the other trustees going forward will be guided by the principles of transparency, good governance, and public interest,” Mistry said in the letter.

Mistry moved the Charity Commissioner of Maharashtra after a crucial meeting on October 28, when three trustees — Noel Tata, industrialist Venu Srinivasan, and former Defence Secretary Vijay Singh — voted against the reappointment of Mehli Mistry, thereby preventing his continuation as a trustee. Tata Trusts own a majority 66 per cent stake in Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata conglomerate.

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Mistry’s exit has also led to speculation about shifting power equations within Tata Trusts. His exit is seen as a consolidation of influence by Noel Tata, who succeeded Ratan Tata as chairman earlier this year. Mistry, a long-time associate of Ratan Tata and a cousin of former Tata Sons Chairman Cyrus Mistry, was known to have played a behind-the-scenes role during key strategic phases of the Trusts’ functioning.

Earlier last week, Tata Trusts unanimously reappointed Venu Srinivasan as a lifetime trustee, with the backing of Mehli Mistry. Along with trustees Pramit Jhaveri, Jehangir H.C. Jehangir and Darius Khambata, Mistry supported Srinivasan’s reappointment as a trustee of Tata Trusts. However, they attached a key condition — that all future renewals of trustees must be approved unanimously.

During Ratan Tata’s tenure, voting was never an option within the Trusts. Decisions were traditionally reached through consensus and collective agreement — a practice now being tested amid signs of internal friction.