Mehli Mistry is preparing to step down from the Tata Trusts after the majority of trustees voted against extending his tenure on the boards of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the Sir Ratan Tata Trust. His three-year term is scheduled to conclude on October 28. The decision follows an internal vote that exposed growing divisions within the Trust’s leadership.
According to reports, a circular resolution circulated last week led to a split verdict among the six trustees. Chairman Noel Tata, Venu Srinivasan, and Vijay Singh opposed Mistry’s reappointment, while Darius Khambata, Pramit Jhaveri, and Jehangir H.C. Jehangir supported his continuation. With the majority voting against renewal, Mistry’s term will not be extended.
Mistry, who joined both trusts in 2022, is widely known to have been a close associate of the late Ratan Tata. The two trusts—Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Tata Trust—collectively hold the largest shareholding in Tata Sons, making them crucial to decision-making, board nominations, and governance across the Tata Group. His exit marks another shift in the internal dynamics of the powerful philanthropic bodies that control the group’s strategic direction.
In recent months, internal disagreements among trustees have become more visible. Earlier in September, a proposal to reappoint Vijay Singh as a nominee director on the Tata Sons board failed to secure unanimous support, leading to his resignation. Mistry was among those who opposed Singh’s continuation, a move that reportedly strained relations within the board and may have influenced the decision on his own reappointment.
The friction has also been linked to differing interpretations of a resolution passed in October 2024, which addressed the question of trustee tenure. The resolution allowed trustees to be reappointed without a fixed limit, leading some members to interpret it as permitting lifelong terms. Others, however, argued that each reappointment should require fresh approval, emphasizing accountability and periodic review.
Although Venu Srinivasan was recently reappointed with consensus from both sides, Mistry had proposed an additional condition that all future trustee renewals should require unanimous approval. This proposal was rejected by the majority, further deepening divisions within the Trusts.
The governing boards of the Tata Trusts are now expected to begin the process of identifying a successor to Mistry. Once his position is filled, attention will likely shift toward upcoming board nominations at Tata Sons, where the Trusts’ influence remains decisive. The developments underscore ongoing realignments in the governance structure of the Tata philanthropic ecosystem, which continues to balance legacy, leadership, and strategic continuity.
