Mehli Mistry, former Tata Trusts trustee and Ratan Tata confidant, will not seek re-election to the Tata Medical Centre board after his term ends on September 30.
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Mehli Mistry, a former Tata Trusts trustee and close associate of the late Ratan Tata, has informed Tata Medical Centre that he will not stand for re-election when his term as trustee ends on September 30, 2026.
In a letter dated September 15 and addressed to the centre’s CEO, Arun Pattatheyil, Mistry said he did not wish to be considered for re-election. He also asked that his decision not to renew his term be kept on record.
The letter, sent from the M Pallonji Group of Companies, was copied to several Tata Trusts email addresses. CNBC-TV18 has reviewed a copy of the letter.
What is Tata Medical Centre
The Kolkata cancer hospital is one of the flagship institutions in the Tata philanthropic network. It began operations in 2011 on a 13-acre campus in New Town, Kolkata, and earmarks 75% of its infrastructure for subsidised treatment of underprivileged patients. It is listed among the institutions associated with the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust.
How we got here
Mistry’s exit from the core Tata Trusts came in October 2025. On October 28, his reappointment to the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the Sir Ratan Tata Trust was not approved by a majority of trustees.
The decision followed an internal rift among trustees over the appointment of a nominee director to the Tata Sons board in 2025. The group that rejected his reappointment was led by chairman Noel Tata. The two trusts together hold a majority stake in Tata Sons.
Even after his ouster, Mistry retained board positions at the Tata Education and Development Trust (TEDT), Tata Medical Centre in Kolkata and Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital.
He has used his TEDT seat to continue raising governance questions. In February, he reportedly called for the post of vice-chairman at Tata Trusts to be scrapped, arguing that the Trust Deed does not provide for it.
Earlier this month, he wrote to Tata Trusts CEO Siddhartha Sharma saying TEDT would not bear legal costs linked to the ongoing dispute. He also asked that his email be tabled at TEDT’s November 20 trustees’ meeting.
Why this matters
The timing is significant. Mistry’s challenge before the Maharashtra Charity Commissioner is still pending. He is not seeking reinstatement as a trustee but has challenged the legality of his removal, and the Commissioner has given Tata Trusts until October 15 to respond to his objections.
His request to have this decision placed on record also stands out. It creates a clear paper trail that this exit was his own choice, in contrast to the circumstances surrounding his cessation in 2025, which he is now contesting.
Once his Tata Medical Centre term lapses, TEDT will be Mistry’s only remaining seat within the Tata Trusts fold.
Mistry is the promoter of the M Pallonji Group, which has interests in industrial painting, shipping, dredging and car dealerships.
(Edited by : Vivek Dubey)
