Tata Trusts Reviews Governance at Sir Ratan Tata Trust Amid Maharashtra Ordinance

The Sir Ratan Tata Trust, a key philanthropic entity under Tata Trusts, is reviewing its governance framework. The review comes amid regulatory changes in Maharashtra that introduce limits on trustee appointments and tenure, as per The Business Standard report. 

Governance Review at Sir Ratan Tata Trust 

According to reports, Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata has held discussions with legal experts regarding the possibility of formalising the functioning of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust through a written trust deed. Currently, the trust operates under the terms of a will dated 1918.  

Any appointment of a new trustee requires unanimous approval from all existing trustees under current rules. 

A recent meeting to consider the induction of Neville Tata as a trustee of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust was postponed due to lack of quorum. Neville Tata was appointed as a trustee of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust in November 2025.  

The Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the Sir Ratan Tata Trust are the 2 principal charitable trusts within Tata Trusts and together hold a majority stake in Tata Sons. 

Current Trustee Composition 

The present trustees of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust include Noel Tata, Venu Srinivasan, Vijay Singh, Jimmy N Tata, Jehangir H C Jehangir and Darius Khambata. Another meeting is scheduled where the issue of trustee induction may be discussed again. 

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Maharashtra Public Trusts Amendment Ordinance, 2025 

The Maharashtra Public Trusts Amendment Ordinance, 2025, came into effect on September 1, 2025. The ordinance introduces fresh norms on trustee appointments and tenure. One significant provision states that permanent trustees can account for only 25% of the total board members. 

It also specifies that where a trust deed does not mention a defined term limit, trustees will have a fixed tenure, generally up to 5 years. Legal experts have noted that the timing of the governance review aligns with these regulatory changes. 

Conclusion 

The review of governance at the Sir Ratan Tata Trust reflects ongoing adjustments in response to updated state regulations. With new norms capping lifetime trustees at 25% and setting 5 year tenures in certain cases, structural changes may be considered within the trust framework. 

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