Senior Advocate Darius Khambata Declines Reappointment As Trustee At Two Tata Trusts
Senior advocate Darius Khambata has reportedly declined to seek reappointment to two Tata Trusts, citing concerns over governance and trustee independence. In a letter to Noel Tata, he questioned Tata Sons board decisions, criticised discussions surrounding its proposed listing and expressed disappointment over differences within the group's leadership
Senior advocate Darius Khambata has informed Noel Tata and the Tata Trusts that he will not seek reappointment as a trustee of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT) and Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT), CNBC-TV18 reported on Monday, citing sources.
In his letter, Khambata reportedly raised concerns about recent developments within the Tata group, including board decisions, governance issues and disagreements among senior leaders.
His term at SDTT is scheduled to end on Nov 9.
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According to the report, Khambata described Sep 17, 2026, as "a day that will live in infamy", alleging that events surrounding a Tata Sons board meeting had damaged the group's reputation.
The meeting reportedly involved the reappointment of N Chandrasekaran as Tata Sons chairman.
Khambata allegedly suggested that the board would have acted differently had Ratan Tata been alive.
He also expressed disappointment over differences between Noel Tata and Chandrasekaran, according to the report.
Referring to Noel Tata's appointment as chairman in October 2024, Khambata reportedly said he had supported the decision despite pressure to postpone it.
He further alleged that trustees faced a coordinated media campaign following the September 2025 vote concerning Vijay Singh.
Khambata reportedly questioned Vijay Singh and Venu Srinivasan's support for listing Tata Sons in April 2026, alleging that their position conflicted with earlier resolutions.
He also criticised Tata Sons' engagement with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), describing it as insufficiently meaningful.
According to the report, Khambata maintained that a potential Tata Sons listing posed an existential concern for the trusts and said he had raised the issue earlier.
Explaining his decision against another term, he reportedly argued that reappointment required the consent of fellow trustees.
Seeking such approval, he believed, could compromise his independence.
The reported letter highlights disagreements over governance, listing proposals and trustee autonomy within the Tata group.
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