Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran's Reappointment Faces Scrutiny

Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran will address business issues raised by Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata at a board meeting at the end of this month as questions over his reappointment for a third term continue to linger.

Chandrasekaran is expected to make a detailed presentation to the full board over losses at Air India and newer ventures such as BigBasket, besides other questions raised by Tata at the February 24 meeting, which deferred a decision on his reappointment, officials close to the matter said.

Tata Sons did not comment.

At the previous board meeting, Tata had also stressed on capital discipline, stating that Tata Sons must remain unlisted. He wanted Chandrasekaran to state this publicly. There is growing speculation that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) may mandate a listing of Tata Sons, a development that would require Tata Sons and Tata Trusts to separately deliberate the matter.

Chandrasekaran’s second term ends in February 2027.

Crucial Meeting

Tata Trusts had already signed a unanimous resolution in July 2025 approving a third five-year term for Chandrasekaran to extend his tenure until 2032, following which, the proposal was placed before the Tata Sons board for approval in February 2026.

However, the matter was deferred after the Tata Trusts chairman raised some concerns, even as other Tata Sons directors disagreed with him. This has since led to a communication breakdown between the stakeholders.

Highly placed officials said the coming meeting is crucial, as the board deliberates on the details before the formal approval. A separate board meeting on June 12 will address matters related to annual accounts, increments and other issues, officials said.

The developments come after the Maharashtra charity commissioner’s office restrained Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT) from holding meetings following letters from vice-chairmen Venu Srinivasan and Vijay Singh, seeking clarity on the trust’s board structure, particularly the issue of perpetual trustees.

A separate representation by advocate Katyayini Agrawal stated that SRTT violated an amended Maharashtra ordinance that capped the number of life-term trustees and required urgent corrective action.

SRTT and the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT) are two key trusts under Tata Trusts, together holding a 66% stake in Tata Sons. The breakdown in communication between Tata Trusts and Tata Sons has begun to weigh on decision-making at the group holding company, delaying key appointments and slowing discussions around several strategic matters concerning new businesses, people familiar with the developments said.

The strain in engagement between the two principal power centres of the group is understood to have contributed to delays in senior-level hires, board-related decisions and broader organisational moves at a time when the conglomerate is navigating leadership transitions and preparing for its next phase of growth. While Noel Tata deferred the decision, Vijay Singh and Venu Srinivasan have maintained that earlier unanimous resolutions passed by SRTT and SDTT approving a fresh term for Chandrasekaran remain valid and have neither been withdrawn nor reviewed.