Tata Trusts: Venu Srinivasan resigns from Bai Hirabai Navsari charity amid appointment challenge

Veteran industrialist Venu Srinivasan, a trustee on Tata Trusts, resigned from the Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution, sources said. Srinivasan reportedly gave other business commitments as the reason. The move followed a complaint by Mehli Mistry, a former trustee of the Tata Trusts. Immediate comments from Srinivasan and Tata Trusts were not available.

Representative image

According to sources, Mehli Mistry raised objections with the Maharashtra Charity Commissioner about two appointments. The complaint challenged the selection of Venu Srinivasan and Vijay Singh to the institution’s board. Mistry argued that both appointments breached conditions written into the trust deed. The dispute focused on eligibility standards and how the deed was being applied.

Tata Trusts complaint cites trust deed criteria

Mistry’s filing said Srinivasan and Singh did not meet the criteria laid out in the trust deed. A key point involved specific conditions mentioned in the deed. These included practice of the Parsi Zoroastrian faith and residency requirements in Mumbai. Mistry maintained that these requirements were mandatory for board members of the charitable institution.

The resignation came against the backdrop of wider tensions linked to Tata Trusts. Last year, Tata Trusts saw infighting among trustees, sources said. The dispute grew large enough to draw government attention. The developments also increased scrutiny of decisions involving smaller trusts under the broader Tata Trusts structure.

Tata Trusts infighting led to government meetings

The matter reached senior levels of the Tata group, according to sources. Noel Tata and Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. After these discussions, the government asked the trusts to settle matters amicably. It also urged them to avoid taking disagreements into the public domain.

The government’s message cited the importance of the Tata Group to India’s economy, sources said. That context shaped calls for restraint and internal resolution. Meanwhile, the challenge to appointments at the Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution remained central to the immediate dispute. Srinivasan’s exit followed soon after the complaint became known.

Sources said Srinivasan stepped down from the Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution while continuing as a trustee on Tata Trusts. The resignation was linked by timing to Mehli Mistry’s complaint, though Srinivasan cited other work commitments. Tata Trusts and Srinivasan did not provide comments at the time of reporting.

With inputs from PTI