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.
From Madhya Pradesh bureaucracy to Defence Secretary
A 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 Group
After 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.
