Mehli Mistry decides to step down as Tata Trusts Trustee, cites commitment to Ratan Tata's ideals

Mehli Mistry has announced his decision to step down as a Trustee of three key Tata Trusts — the Sir Ratan Tata Trust, the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, and the Bai Hirabai J.N. Tata Navsari Charitable Institution Trust — in a letter addressed to the trustees of Tata Trusts.

In his letter dated November 4, 2025, Mistry said it had been his “privilege to serve as a Trustee,” an opportunity granted through the “personal endorsement of the late Mr. Ratan N Tata,” whom he described as his “dearest friend and mentor.”

He said he became aware of the “recent reportage surrounding my trusteeship” upon his return to Mumbai, and that his letter should “assist in putting the quietus on speculative news reports that do not serve the interests of the Tata Trusts and are inimical to its vision.”

Reaffirming his allegiance to Ratan Tata’s values, Mistry wrote: “In discharging my duties towards the Tata Trusts, I have been guided by his vision of ethical governance, quiet philanthropy and utmost integrity.”

Mistry noted that he had served as Trustee till October 28, 2025, and said his decision was motivated by the need to prevent controversy that could harm the reputation of the philanthropic organisation. “My commitment to Mr. Ratan N Tata’s vision includes a responsibility to ensure that the Tata Trusts are not plunged into controversy,” he wrote.

“I believe that precipitating matters would cause irreparable harm to the reputation of the Tata Trusts. Therefore, in the spirit of Mr. Ratan N Tata, who always put public interest before his own, I hope that the actions of the other trustees going forward will be guided by the principles of transparency, good governance, and public interest,” Mistry added.

He concluded his letter with a quote he attributed to Ratan Tata: “Nobody is bigger than the institution it serves.”

Wider implications within Tata’s philanthropic network
ET had reported Monday that Tata insiders were closely tracking Mistry’s next steps as he continues to hold positions in other parts of the Tata Group’s philanthropic ecosystem.

Despite his removal from the two main trusts that collectively hold a majority stake in Tata Sons, Mistry remains on the boards of the Tata Education and Development Trust (TEDT), the Tata Medical Centre in Kolkata, and Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital.

The report noted that Mistry could risk losing his role at TEDT — which oversees a corpus of about ₹5,000 crore and supports higher education and scholarships — if he were to initiate any legal challenge to his removal from the main trusts. TEDT’s board includes Noel Tata, Venu Srinivasan, Vijay Singh, Mehli Mistry, and Jehangir Mistry.

At Breach Candy Hospital, where Mistry has been a trustee since 2004, Tata Group recently donated ₹500 crore from its corporate social responsibility funds.

The Tata Trusts, which control about two-thirds of Tata Sons, are at the heart of the conglomerate’s governance and philanthropic decision-making. Mistry’s removal, ET reported, marked a significant consolidation of control under Noel Tata, who assumed chairmanship of Tata Trusts earlier this year.

Mistry, who is the promoter of the M Pallonji Group of companies, has business interests spanning industrial painting, shipping, dredging, and car dealerships. Several Tata companies are associates or partners of his ventures.