Ouster from Tata Sons pre-planned and orchestrated, says Tata Trusts' Vijay Singh

Core Viewpoint - The governance structure of Tata Trusts is undergoing significant changes with the induction of senior veterans and younger Tata family members, following the controversial ousting of Vijay Singh, which he claims was pre-planned [1][10]. Governance Changes - The governance landscape at Tata Trusts has shifted since the contentious meeting on September 11, leading to the rejection of Mehli Mistry's reappointment to the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the Sir Ratan Tata Trust [6]. - The board has inducted long-serving Tata executive Bhaskar Bhat and Neville Tata, while also limiting Venu Srinivasan's life term to three years in accordance with new state rules [6]. Ouster of Vijay Singh - Vijay Singh's removal as a nominee director was attributed to a faction of trustees attempting to alter the long-standing relationship between Tata Trusts and Tata Sons [5][10]. - Singh described the events leading to his ouster as orchestrated, claiming that the meeting on September 11 was planned to remove him [8][10]. - Singh emphasized that the argument for his removal, which was framed as a response to the listing of Tata Sons, lacked justification and appeared to be an afterthought [5][10]. Internal Conflicts - Singh noted that the months leading up to his exit were marked by contentious meetings demanding deeper visibility into Tata Sons' internal matters, which had not been an issue in the previous two years [4][10]. - The tone towards Tata Sons chairman Noel Tata changed significantly, with trustees making comments that indicated a break from past conduct [5][10]. Stake in Tata Sons - Tata Trusts holds a 66% stake in Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group, which underscores the importance of governance dynamics within the Trusts [7].