Mumbai, September 22, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar has called for preserving the Tata Group’s philanthropic legacy, trust-led ownership structure and institutional values amid the ongoing dispute over the governance and leadership of Tata Sons.
In a statement, Pawar said the Tata Group’s founding vision, associated with Jamsetji Tata and carried forward by Sir Dorabji Tata and Sir Ratan Tata, was rooted in the principle that wealth generated through business should contribute to social welfare.
He noted that majority ownership of Tata Sons was deliberately entrusted to philanthropic trusts rather than concentrated in individual hands. The Tata Trusts collectively hold about 66 per cent of Tata Sons, with dividends from their holdings supporting areas including healthcare, education, research and rural livelihoods.
Pawar said Maharashtra remains closely associated with this legacy and pointed to institutions established or supported by Tata trusts, including Tata Memorial Hospital, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA).
He said any weakening of the role played by the trusts could have implications for such institutions and their wider social contribution.
Pawar referred to the September 17 meeting of the Tata Sons board, where a five-year extension for Executive Chairman N. Chandrasekaran was approved along with a decision to proceed towards listing Tata Sons. Noel Tata, chairman of Tata Trusts and a nominee director, opposed both proposals, while fellow trust nominee Venu Srinivasan supported them.
Pawar argued that Tata Sons’ Articles of Association require the affirmative consent of the relevant trust nominees for key decisions and, therefore, questioned the legal validity of the 4-1 board resolutions. Tata Trusts have separately challenged the validity of Chandrasekaran’s reappointment, arguing that the required affirmative support from its nominees was absent.
Calling for adherence to corporate governance norms and the company’s internal constitutional framework, Pawar said differences over leadership should be addressed through dialogue and lawful corporate processes.
He also referred to the Supreme Court’s earlier recognition of the special rights of Tata Trusts’ nominee directors, arguing that these institutional safeguards should be respected.
In a post on X, Pawar said the Tata family had given Indian industry a value-based direction centred on social service and stressed that the institutional role and social commitment of the Tata Trusts should be preserved.
He said protecting the Tata Group’s legacy was important not only for Maharashtra but also for India’s broader development and social landscape.
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