. MUMBAI: TVS Motor Company chairman emeritus Venu Srinivasan has been reappointed trustee and vicechairman of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT) for a period of three years. The move, SDTT said, was made “in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.”On Oct 24, Srinivasan had been appointed permanent trustee of SDTT after his earlier term expired. However, this appointment did not comply with the recently amended Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, which came into effect on Sept 1. The amendment introduced provisions on the appointment of tenure and permanent trustees, including a cap that limits permanent trustees to one-fourth of a public charity’s total board strength.Currently, Noel Tata is the only permanent trustee at SDTT, which has a board strength of seven. To have two permanent trustees, it needs eight board members. Since the amended law supersedes any resolution passed after Sept 1 that does not conform to its provisions, the Oct 18 resolution appointing Srinivasan as a permanent trustee was deemed procedurally invalid.According to sources, Tata Trusts sought advice from multiple senior counsel and a top law firm on the issue and were advised that the Oct 18 resolution was void. Consequently, since Srinivasan could not be considered a trustee from Oct 24 until this week, the board decided to reappoint him.At SDTT’s Tuesday meeting, the board “decided to appoint Srinivasan as trustee for a period of three years with effect from Nov 12, 2025, in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, and to designate him as vice chairman of SDTT,” read the press statement from Tata Trusts.Section 30A of the Act states that trustees with fixed tenures should step down when their term ends unless they are ‘unanimously’ reappointed by the remaining trustees. The reappointment, according to the Act, will be applicable for ‘up to five years’ if the trust deed does not specify the duration for reappointment.The Act also states that a tenure trustee whose term expires can only be appointed as a permanent trustee to fill a vacancy of a permanent trustee arising from death, insolvency, physical incapacity, permanently leaving India or conviction for any offence involving moral turpitude.SDTT, which operates according to a deed, and Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT), which operates according to a will, do not specify the duration of a trustee’s appointment.This may be why former Tata Trusts chairmen JRD Tata and Ratan Tata, along with several other trustees like R K Krishna Kumar and Jamshed Bhabha, were permanent trustees of SDTT and SRTT. Tata Group veterans said Ratan Tata had introduced the concept of appointing trustees with fixed tenures. Past trustees with fixed tenures included Keki Dadiseth, Nasser Munjee, and Mehli Mistry.The number of trustees at SDTT and SRTT is seven and six respectively.According to the Act and the existing board strengths, the number of permanent trustees has to be one at each Trust.Noel Tata is the only permanent trustee of SDTT (Noel was reappointed as a trustee for life in Jan this year, much before the Act came to effect). At SRTT, Noel, his half-brother Jimmy Tata, and Jehangir Jehangir are permanent trustees, it is reliably learned. This indicates that SRTT will need to structure its board to comply with the Act. To have three permanent trustees, SRTT will need a board strength of 12 trustees.About the AuthorReeba ZachariahReeba Zachariah is assistant corporate editor at The Times of India, Mumbai. She has been covering large Indian business houses such as the Tata Group. She also reports on a host of sectors like hospitality, retail, travel, liquor and consumer durables. She has been writing on mergers and acquisitions and private equity.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosMaha Gajraj Exercise: IAF Conducts Highway Landing Operations Near Barmer-Jalore Border12 Killed In Car Bomb Blast In Islamabad; PM Sharif Blames ‘India-Sponsored Terrorist Proxies”Hunt Down Every…’: Amit Shah Says Delhi Car Blast Culprits To Face ‘Full Wrath Of Agencies’Bihar Exit Polls 2025: Poll of Polls Show NDA Poised For Majority, MGB Trails, No Impact of JSP’Op Sindoor Taught Us…’: Army Chief Dwivedi On Role Of Modern Tech In Warfare At Cavalry Seminar‘We Love India’: Bhutan King Reaffirms Ties As PM Modi Unveils Connectivity, Energy BoostBangladesh Elections: Awami League, BNP Allege Lawlessness Under Yunus, Fear Violence In PollsIndia Tells UNSC To Enforce Zero-Tolerance On Terror Strictly Hours After Delhi Blast Kills Twelve’No Silver Medals In War’: CDS Chauhan Highlights India’s Technological Leap Amid Rising ThreatsLucknow Doctor Tasked By JeM To Form Women’s Terror Wing In India, Police Link To Delhi Blast Probe123PhotostoriesIndian designers who are ruling international fashion weeksDiabetes reports normal? 5 hidden, unusual signs blood sugar is not in control and what to do about itDirectors’ daughters shine as they carry forward a legacy of talent3 popular breakfasts you should stop giving your kids and whyExclusive – Bigg Boss 19: From addressing his romantic link-up with Ashnoor Kaur, Pranit More evicting him to ex-wife’s cheating allegations on him: Abhishek Bajaj breaks silenceMantra You Should Chant According To Your Birth DateFunny parenting quotes every tired mom and dad will relate toFathers who feel deeply: Rare and underrated quotes about modern dadsThe gut repairs overnight: 6 bedtime drinks that helpHow to choose a perfectly ripe avocado every time from the clues present on its skin123Hot PicksBihar Election CandidatesBihar Election ConstituenciesBihar Election 2025Gold rate todaySilver rate todayPublic Holidays NovemberBank Holidays NovemberTop TrendingJaire AlexanderMLB Trade RumorsStephen Curry WifeMichael Ray Richardson Net WorthMichael Willis Cause of DeathNHL Injury UpdateStephen CurryCandace OwensMichael Duarte Cause of DeathNico Harrison
MUMBAI: TVS Motor Company chairman emeritus Venu Srinivasan has been reappointed trustee and vicechairman of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT) for a period of three years. The move, SDTT said, was made “in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.”On Oct 24, Srinivasan had been appointed permanent trustee of SDTT after his earlier term expired. However, this appointment did not comply with the recently amended Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, which came into effect on Sept 1. The amendment introduced provisions on the appointment of tenure and permanent trustees, including a cap that limits permanent trustees to one-fourth of a public charity’s total board strength.Currently, Noel Tata is the only permanent trustee at SDTT, which has a board strength of seven. To have two permanent trustees, it needs eight board members. Since the amended law supersedes any resolution passed after Sept 1 that does not conform to its provisions, the Oct 18 resolution appointing Srinivasan as a permanent trustee was deemed procedurally invalid.
According to sources, Tata Trusts sought advice from multiple senior counsel and a top law firm on the issue and were advised that the Oct 18 resolution was void. Consequently, since Srinivasan could not be considered a trustee from Oct 24 until this week, the board decided to reappoint him.At SDTT’s Tuesday meeting, the board “decided to appoint Srinivasan as trustee for a period of three years with effect from Nov 12, 2025, in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, and to designate him as vice chairman of SDTT,” read the press statement from Tata Trusts.Section 30A of the Act states that trustees with fixed tenures should step down when their term ends unless they are ‘unanimously’ reappointed by the remaining trustees. The reappointment, according to the Act, will be applicable for ‘up to five years’ if the trust deed does not specify the duration for reappointment.The Act also states that a tenure trustee whose term expires can only be appointed as a permanent trustee to fill a vacancy of a permanent trustee arising from death, insolvency, physical incapacity, permanently leaving India or conviction for any offence involving moral turpitude.SDTT, which operates according to a deed, and Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT), which operates according to a will, do not specify the duration of a trustee’s appointment.This may be why former Tata Trusts chairmen JRD Tata and Ratan Tata, along with several other trustees like R K Krishna Kumar and Jamshed Bhabha, were permanent trustees of SDTT and SRTT. Tata Group veterans said Ratan Tata had introduced the concept of appointing trustees with fixed tenures. Past trustees with fixed tenures included Keki Dadiseth, Nasser Munjee, and Mehli Mistry.The number of trustees at SDTT and SRTT is seven and six respectively.According to the Act and the existing board strengths, the number of permanent trustees has to be one at each Trust.Noel Tata is the only permanent trustee of SDTT (Noel was reappointed as a trustee for life in Jan this year, much before the Act came to effect). At SRTT, Noel, his half-brother Jimmy Tata, and Jehangir Jehangir are permanent trustees, it is reliably learned. This indicates that SRTT will need to structure its board to comply with the Act. To have three permanent trustees, SRTT will need a board strength of 12 trustees.
