Tata Trusts reviews governance at Sir Ratan Tata Trust; trust deed likely

Tata Trusts may formalise governance at Sir Ratan Tata Trust with a written deed, as recent Maharashtra amendments set limits on lifetime trustees and fixed tenures

A key charity within the Tata Group’s philanthropic network may see changes in how it is governed. The Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT), one of the two main trusts under Tata Trusts, is reviewing its existing structure and considering whether to formalise its functioning through a written trust deed, according to a report by The Economic Times.

 

The move comes at a time when new state regulations have tightened rules around trustee appointments and tenure.

 

Governance review under way

 

According to the report, Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata has spoken with senior legal experts about the possibility of drafting a formal trust deed for SRTT. At present, the trust operates under the terms of a will dating back to 1918.

 

The review is also taking place alongside renewed attention on trustee appointments. A recent meeting called to consider the induction of Neville Tata as a trustee of SRTT was postponed due to the absence of the required quorum. Under the current rules of the trust, any new trustee can be appointed only if all existing trustees agree unanimously.

 

Neville Tata, who is Noel Tata’s son, was appointed as a trustee of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT) in November 2025. SDTT and SRTT are the two principal charitable trusts within Tata Trusts. Together, they hold a majority stake in Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group, giving them significant influence over group decisions.

 

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 of the trust is scheduled, where the issue of trustee induction may again be discussed.   

 

Impact of new Maharashtra ordinance

 

Legal experts, cited in the report, said the timing of the review is significant. The Maharashtra Public Trusts (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, which came into effect on September 1, has introduced fresh norms governing trustee appointments and tenure.

 

The ordinance sets new rules for how long trustees can serve and how they are appointed or reappointed. One of the main changes is that permanent trustees can now make up only 25 per cent of the total board members.

 

It also says that if the trust’s rules do not mention a term limit, trustees will have a fixed term, usually up to five years.