J R D Tata, chairman of the Tata group from 1938 to 1991, said that whenever he had to make a difficult decision, he would ask himself, what will be good for India, and what will be good for the Tatas. If he had a doubt, he would decide in favour of India. In the long run, it would turn out well for the Tatas too, he said, points out Arun Maira.
'Members of Indian family businesses have considered it their birthright to work there and responsibility to take care of it.'
Corporate leaders' half-life has shrunk over the past few decades. That is the Tata experience as well. Over 144 years till 2012, Tata Sons had just five chairmen. However, in the 15 years till 2027, the same group will see three, points out R Gopalakrishnan.
Tata Sons has the balance sheet to support them, for now.
'whom he believes in ... or whom he has faith in. But we don't know whether that person will be competent or not. This will lead to a lot of uncertainty in the minds of investors and shareholders of the Tata group companies.'
Indian benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, rallied in early trade, driven by positive global market trends and easing crude oil prices, despite the US Federal Reserve's hawkish stance tempering overall sentiment. Track Sensex, Nifty on September 18.
Tata Sons' unlisted ventures, including Air India, Tata Digital, and Tata Electronics, reported combined net losses of approximately 25,568.8 crore in FY25, a 58.3 per cent increase from the previous year, despite Tata Sons itself remaining profitable for over a decade.
While the latest trigger for him stepping down could be the uncertainty around his renewal as a director at the AGM, which is otherwise a routine matter, Chandra may have been contemplating quitting for some time now because of the overall turbulence with the principal shareholder on the leadership issue.
The deferral of Natarajan Chandrasekaran's re-appointment as Chairman of Tata Sons has sparked questions regarding a previous unanimous resolution by Tata Trusts and potential internal disagreements.
Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran has issued a statement explaining his decision not to seek an extension beyond his current tenure, which ends on February 20, 2027, citing a lack of unanimous board support for his reappointment.
N Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Sons, announced he would not seek reappointment when his term ends in February 2027, following a series of departures by senior figures closely associated with former chairman Ratan Tata, including Vijay Singh and Mehli Mistry, amid a deepening power struggle and governance dispute within the Tata Group.
'Chandrasekaran wanted a five-year extension, but the Tata Group has a policy of 65 years as the retirement age for its executive chairman.'
N Chandrasekaran's exit marks a major shift for TCS, leaving its leadership to navigate AI disruption without the group chairman's deep expertise.
Tata Group stocks experienced a significant decline, with TCS falling nearly 6 per cent, after Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran announced he would not seek reappointment when his current term concludes on February 20, 2027.
N Chandrasekaran's decision not to seek reappointment when his term as chairman of Tata Sons ends in February 2027 signals a significant shift in leadership amidst an ongoing power struggle and governance disputes within the Tata Group.
The Tata Sons board has deferred a decision on the re-appointment of Natarajan Chandrasekaran as Chairman, signaling potential differences within the group. Concerns were raised about losses in certain group companies and the listing of Tata Sons.
Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran has announced an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment and forced religious conversion at TCS's Nashik branch, calling the claims 'gravely concerning'.
The authorities have said that it is not permissible to examine and review in 2026 the decision taken by the trustees in 1988 regarding the existence of necessity for transfer of shares.
'... that work is done. The task is to reallocate what has been built, with the courage of a founder and the discipline of an owner.'
'India is collateral damage. There is no way that foreign investors are going to bring money in India despite our yields also going up.'
N Chandrasekaran not only faces muted financial performance from the group's listed companies, but also mounting losses at Tata Sons' unlisted subsidiaries, many of which have been set up by him in the last decade.
N Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, has announced he will not seek reappointment after his term concludes in February 2027. Addressing employees at a town hall, he urged them to disregard speculation regarding his departure and emphasised the group's continued progress and opportunities for staff. His decision follows a six-month impasse over a proposed extension.
Indian benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, closed mixed on Friday. While a drop in crude oil prices offered some relief, weakness in IT stocks and several Tata Group counters, including a significant dip in Tata Chemicals and ongoing boardroom issues at Tata Sons, limited a broader market recovery.
Indian benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, extended their decline for a second consecutive day, primarily due to elevated crude oil prices and selling pressure on Tata Group stocks following Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran's announcement that he will not seek reappointment.
Clarity on Tata Sons' position on listing, as of 2025, would help define the future of the group better, irrespective of the RBI stand. As of now, the ball is in the RBI's court, and everyone is watching the space, points out Nivedita Mookerji.
Tata Sons, now debt-free, has asked the RBI to drop its 'upper-layer NBFC' tag and allow it to stay private.
The market capitalisation of these 41 companies ranged from Rs 30 crore to around Rs 1.26 trillion, as on August 7.
Domestic air passenger traffic in India decreased by 4.80 per cent in July 2026 compared to the previous year, reaching 1.20 crore, with major airlines experiencing a drop in load factor, according to DGCA data. Despite the overall dip, IndiGo and Air India Group increased their market share.
The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet has approved the expansion of the proposed temple museum in Ayodhya, contracting Tata Sons to develop and operate the project on a 52-acre site.
Tata Steel more than doubled its Indian capacity through acquisitions and expansion, strengthening cash generation as it pursued a costly restructuring of its European operations.
Air India Group has accumulated losses of about Rs 47,821 crore since its takeover, leaving its prolonged transformation among the biggest unfinished projects of N Chandrasekaran's tenure.
Had it been know that Jinnah suffered from tuberculosis and did not have much time to live, there is a possibility Partition could have been averted.
Seven listed Tata companies together own 12.1 per cent in Tata Sons with a combined book value worth around Rs 30,700 crore.
The much-awaited board meeting of Tata Sons did not discuss listing of the holding company or a third term for Chairman N Chandrasekaran.
SP Group chairman Shapoorji Pallonji Mistry on Friday reiterated calls for public listing of Tata Sons to bring transparency, amid infighting among trustees of Tata Trusts which controls a 66 per cent stake in the holding company of the salt-to-software conglomerate. Shapoorji Pallonji family is the single largest minority shareholder with about 18.37 per cent in Tata Sons.
Air India has announced the appointment of Tewolde Gebremariam, former CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group, as its new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, replacing Campbell Wilson. This strategic appointment comes as the airline navigates expansion amidst significant challenges.
The pilot-in-command of an Air India Phuket-Delhi flight that experienced a sudden 300-foot altitude drop last week has tested positive for a psychoactive substance, identified by sources as marijuana, in a confirmatory test. This development comes as Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu met with Air India executives to discuss the serious incident, which left 24 people injured.
A crucial Tata Trusts board meeting was unexpectedly postponed, highlighting internal conflicts over veto power, Tata Sons listing, and trustee eligibility, raising concerns about the stability of the $180 billion conglomerate.
A much-anticipated board meeting of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust, intended to reconsider nominations to the board of Tata Sons, was cancelled for unspecified reasons, despite the Bombay High Court declining to stay the meeting.
The top agenda of the meeting includes a review of Tata Trusts representation on the Tata Sons board.