Noel Tata Votes Against Srinivasan, Singh Reappointment in Tata Education Trust

Noel Tata has voted against the reappointment of Venu Srinivasan and Vijay Singh as trustees of the Tata Education and Development Trust (TEDT), resulting in a 3-1 decision that blocks their return to the board. The vote, cast after Mehli Mistry and Jehangir Mistry also opposed the reappointment, failed to meet TEDT's requirement for unanimous consent, effectively ending their tenures as trustees effective May 10.

Srinivasan and Singh, who each voted for the other, had served on TEDT, a $670 million corpus trust funding education, health, and international academic partnerships, including with Harvard and Cornell. Their roles in other Tata Trusts, including the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Tata Trust, remain unchanged, though their influence within the broader Tata Trusts network is diminished.

The rift follows disagreements over the proposed listing of Tata Sons, which Srinivasan and Singh supported and Noel Tata opposed. Mehli Mistry cited procedural concerns in an affidavit, alleging improper voting at the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, including Srinivasan's participation after his term expired.

With only three trustees remaining—Noel Tata and Mehli Mistry as perpetual trustees and Jehangir Mistry on a fixed term—TEDT now operates at the minimum strength permitted by its deed. The court or regulatory review has not been announced, but governance scrutiny of Tata Trusts’ internal processes is expected to increase in the coming weeks.