Vijay Singh steps down as trustee of Sir Ratan Tata Trust

Former IAS officer Vijay Singh has stepped down as a trustee of Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT), ending his long association with one of the principal Tata Trusts. His current term is scheduled to conclude on Aug 14, though he will continue as a trustee of Sir Dorabji Tata Trust for another year.Singh, who also served as vice-chairman of Tata Trusts, has had a distinguished career spanning government administration, defence policy and corporate leadership. After spending decades in public service, he transitioned into key roles within the Tata Group.Tata Sons, SP Group Discuss Share Swap Plan To Resolve Stake DisputeFrom Madhya Pradesh bureaucracy to Defence SecretaryA 1970-batch IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, Singh completed his master’s degree in history from Delhi University before entering the civil services. During his early career, he held several important administrative positions in Madhya Pradesh, including serving as District Magistrate of Gwalior and Bhopal between 1971 and 1982. He later served as Commissioner of Jabalpur and Indore divisions and became Home Secretary of the state.Singh was appointed Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh in 2004, the highest bureaucratic post in the state. In August 2007, he was appointed Defence Secretary, where he led the Ministry of Defence and handled key matters related to India’s defence administration and policy. He retired from government service in July 2009 after completing his tenure. Long association with Tata GroupAfter retirement, Singh continued his association with public institutions and served as a member of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) from November 2009. He resigned from the commission in April 2013.Later that year, Singh joined Tata Sons as a non-executive director. His role within the group expanded when he was appointed chairman of Tata Advanced Systems and vice-chairman of Tata Trusts in 2018.Singh is also a member of the Governing Council of Tata Memorial Centre, a cancer care and research institution under the Department of Atomic Energy.His exit from SRTT comes amid internal differences within Tata Trusts and regulatory restrictions affecting the trust’s ability to conduct trustee meetings. SRTT has approached the Maharashtra Charity Commissioner seeking relief from these restrictions, stating that delays could affect philanthropic grants worth nearly ₹400 crore and its participation in Tata Sons’ annual general meeting.The AGM is expected to consider key resolutions, including the reappointment of N Chandrasekaran as a Tata Sons director.

Vijay Singh, vice chairman of Tata Trusts, has stepped down as a trustee of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT) before August 14, when his current term expires, marking the end of a long association at a time when the Trusts are grappling with internal differences and regulatory scrutiny. Singh, however, will continue as a trustee of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust for another year.His exit comes at a time when the Sir Ratan Tata Trust has sought permission from the Maharashtra Charity Commissioner to permit it to hold important meetings stating approximately ₹400 crore in charitable disbursements and upcoming shareholder decisions are currently at risk.Also Read: Maharashtra charity body may examine Tata Trust share transfer validityThe CC has restrained it from holding meetings pending a decision on a complaint relating to the alleged transfer issue of Navajbhai shares and the appointment of perpetual trustees.Singh told ET that he had decided against seeking another term. "I have informed the Trusts that I do not wish to be considered for a reappointment," he said.His decision follows a series of developments that have exposed differences within the Trusts. In May this year, Singh and fellow vice chairman Venu Srinivasan stepped down from the Tata Education and Development Trust (TEDT) after trustee Mehli Mistry opposed their reappointments. Mistry had challenged the eligibility of Singh and Srinivasan to serve as trustees of the Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution, arguing that they did not meet the 1923 trust deed's requirements that trustees be practising Parsi Zoroastrians and permanent residents of Mumbai.Also Read: Tata Trusts vice chairman seeks inquiry into 1989 share transfer of Tata SonsPeople familiar with the matter said Singh was also unlikely to have secured unanimous support from fellow trustees for another term at SRTT following his earlier public remarks in favour of a potential listing of Tata Sons. The SRTT board comprises chairman Noel N. Tata, Venu Srinivasan, Vijay Singh, Jimmy N. Tata, Jehangir H.C. Jehangir and Darius Khambata.The Sir Ratan Tata Trust and the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust together hold the controlling stake in Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata group.Both Vijay Singh and Venu Srinivasan's views stated publicly that Tata Sons should list were viewed as being at variance with the prevailing position within the Trusts, led by chairman Noel Tata, which continues to favour retaining Tata Sons as a privately held company.Singh was not reappointed to the Tata Sons board last year. People aware of the matter said the Trusts were seeking to ensure that their nominees on the Tata Sons board reflected the institution's position on key governance issues, including the company's ownership structure.