Tata Trusts has clarified that being a Zoroastrian was not necessary to be a trustee of Bai Hirabai JN Tata Navsari Charitable Institution.
In an internal note, Tata Trusts said that non-Zoroastrians can serve as trustees, citing a 2000 opinion by former Chief Justice of India M.H. Kania, according to a report by The Economic Times.
The internal note by Tata Trusts Chief Executive Officer Siddharth Sharma, addressed to Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata and trustees, referred to provisions of the trust deed and Kania’s opinion, which held that certain restrictive clauses were “bad in law,” in view of a codicil to the will of Sir Ratan Tata, according to the report.
The clarification is crucial as Venu Srinivasan, Chairman Emeritus of TVS Motor and Vice Chairman of seven Tata Group trusts, stepped down from the Bai Hirabai Charitable Trust on Saturday.
Though he cited his preoccupation with other business commitments behind his move, the sudden resignation came against the backdrop of a legal challenge mounted by former trustee Mehli Mistry, who has questioned the eligibility of Srinivasan and fellow trustee Vijay Singh to serve on the trust’s board.
Srinivasan’s exit has brought the number of trustees down to five, which is the minimum required.
The current board includes Noel Tata, Jimmy Tata, Darius Khambata, Jehangir H. Jehangir, and Vijay Singh. After Srinivasan’s resignation, Singh is now the only non-Zoroastrian among the trustees.
Mistry had argued that both Venu Srinivasan and Vijay Singh were not followers of the Parsi Zoroastrian faith and do not hold permanent residence in Mumbai — two conditions he said were mandatory for trusteeship.
The Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution (BHJTNCI) was established in 1923. According to the Tata Trusts website, it is a philanthropic institution focused on Parsi and community welfare in Navsari, Gujarat, with a mandate spanning education and healthcare.
It forms part of the allied Tata Trusts and shares a common Board of Trustees with the Sir Ratan Tata Trust.
