Mehli Mistry Calls for Scrapping Vice-Chairman Post at Tata Trusts

Mehli Mistry, a former board member of Tata Trusts, has reportedly called for the abolition of the vice-chairman’s post, arguing that the Trust Deed does not provide for such a position. Mistry, who is currently a trustee of the Tata Education and Development Trust (TEDT), raised the demand at a trust meeting, according to The Economic Times (ET).

The issue was discussed during a routine board meeting of Tata Trusts held at Mumbai’s World Trade Centre on Wednesday. According to sources cited by ET, Mistry argued that the vice-chairman role was created when Ratan Tata was preoccupied with the legal dispute involving the late Cyrus Mistry. With a chairman now firmly in place, he suggested that the position may no longer be necessary.

Mistry, considered a close associate of the late Ratan Tata, stepped down last year from key trusts, the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the Sir Ratan Tata Trust, which together control a majority stake in Tata Sons. His exit followed an internal rift among trustees over the appointment of a nominee director to the Tata Sons board in 2025. The dispute escalated after Mistry’s reappointment to the two trusts was rejected by a group of trustees led by chairman Noel Tata. The group included current vice-chairman Vijay Singh, former defence secretary, and TVS Motor chairman emeritus Venu Srinivasan.

Both hold vice-chairman positions across various trusts under the Tata umbrella and were appointed in 2018.

A senior trust official told ET that since Mistry does not hold any role in the two main trusts, the matter does not automatically apply to the other trusts, and any decision would rest with the chairman of Tata Trusts.

At TEDT, Singh has reportedly indicated his willingness to relinquish the title, noting that it does not confer any additional authority. Venu Srinivasan, however, is understood to have said that a collective decision by the trusts would be appropriate.

Mistry currently also serves on the boards of Tata Medical Centre in Kolkata and Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital.

Separately, The Times of India (ToI) reported that Wednesday’s meeting was marked by the absence of former Citi CEO Pramit Jhaveri, whose six-year term as trustee concluded the same day after he chose not to seek reappointment. There was also no discussion on the proposed appointment of Noel Tata’s son, Neville Tata, to the board of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT), as the matter was not included on the agenda.

Instead, trustees focused on fund allocations for social initiatives and other routine business. It remains unclear when Neville Tata’s appointment will be reconsidered by the SRTT board. The proposal had earlier been listed for discussion at the January SRTT meeting, which was later cancelled.