Ratan Tata vs Cyrus Mistry: A Clash of Ethics at Tata Sons | Throwback

New Delhi: Ratan Tata, the iconic industrialist and philanthropist, passed away on Thursday at the age of 86 at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai after a prolonged illness. His death comes just two years after the passing of former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry and brings an end to one of the most controversial episodes in the Tata Group’s storied history.

The Feud That Shook India’s Largest Conglomerate

The six-year-long feud between Ratan Tata and Cyrus Mistry grabbed national headlines, as boardroom disagreements escalated into a bitter legal battle that reached the Supreme Court. The conflict began in 2016, with Mistry’s abrupt ousting as chairman of Tata Sons, a move that exposed deep divisions within the Tata empire. This saga marked one of the most contentious periods for the Tata Group, widely seen as a bastion of ethical business practices.

Cyrus Mistry’s Ties to the Tata Group

Cyrus Mistry came from the Shapoorji Pallonji Group, a family that had long-standing ties to Tata, with his family being the largest individual shareholders in the conglomerate for three generations. After his father’s death in 2006, Mistry took up the family’s seat on the Tata Sons board and was eventually appointed as chairman in 2012. However, his leadership was short-lived, and his dramatic ouster in 2016 set the stage for a protracted legal and public battle.

A Legal Fight That Reached the Supreme Court

Ratan Tata led the charge in a nearly four-year legal struggle to remove Cyrus Mistry, which culminated in a Supreme Court ruling. In March 2021, the Supreme Court upheld Mistry’s removal as executive chairman, siding with Tata. The ruling overturned the earlier decision of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) that had reinstated Mistry. The court also dismissed a plea from the Shapoorji Pallonji Group seeking a separation of its ownership interests from Tata Sons, effectively bringing an end to the long-standing feud.

The Tragic Death of Cyrus Mistry

Tragedy struck once again in September 2022, when Cyrus Mistry died in a car crash in Maharashtra ’s Palghar district, near Mumbai. His death, which occurred almost two years after the Supreme Court ruling, added another somber note to the already controversial saga between the Tata and Mistry families.

A Final Farewell to Ratan Tata

Ratan Tata was accorded a ceremonial guard of honor by the Mumbai Police as his mortal remains were brought to a crematorium in Worli for the final rites on Thursday evening. The funeral was attended by prominent political figures, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah , Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde , Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis , Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, and Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. The gathering of dignitaries reflected the enormous respect Tata commanded throughout his life, both as a business leader and a philanthropist.