Mumbai, 20 April 2026: The Board of Trustees of the Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution (the Bai Hirabai Trust) met on 17th April, 2026 under the Chairmanship of Mr. Noel N. Tata, Chairman, Tata Trusts.
The Trustees, while reviewing the activities of the Bai Hirabai Trust, deliberated on the recent statements appearing in sections of the press relating to the Trust. They were categorical in emphasising that the Tata ethos has always been inclusive, secular and all-encompassing and focussed on philanthropy and service to the nation. Non-Zoroastrians have been continuously appointed to the Trust since the year 2000, following a legal opinion obtained from a former Chief Justice of India. The Trustees noted that Bai Hirabai is a non-shareholding Trust with a minimal asset base and limited activities.
The Bai Hirabai Trust was created under the 1916 Codicil to the Will of Sir Ratan Tata who died in 1918. The Codicil did not provide for any restrictions in respect of Trustees on grounds of ethnicity, race or religion. The Codicil further provided that the Trustees of the Will of Sir Ratan Tata, who were also Trustees of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT) - a Trust created by his Will - would also be Trustees of the Bai Hirabai Trust. In the year 2015, the objects of the Bai Hirabai Trust were enlarged to also cover the general public as beneficiaries of the activities of the Trust. There are no such restrictions as to qualifications for Trusteeship of SRTT nor of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT) nor of any other Tata Trust. Nonetheless, it is a fact that the Trust Deed made in 1923 by the then Trustees, contained restrictive clauses that, amongst other things, prohibited non-Zoroastrians from being Trustees of the Bai Hirabai Trust. These provisions imposed restrictions not provided for by Sir Ratan Tata’s Codicil.
In order to correct anomalies in the Trust Deed and to align it with the values that the Tata Trusts have always epitomised, the Trustees have decided to adopt proceedings before the appropriate authority for alteration of restrictive clauses in respect of eligibility of Trustees.
The Trustees also reiterated their full faith and confidence in the Chief Executive Officer and his administrative stewardship of the Tata Trusts.
Established in 1892, the Tata Trusts are India’s oldest and amongst Asia's largest philanthropic institutions. They have played a pioneering role in bringing about an enduring difference in the lives of the communities they serve, advancing equity, resilience, and shared progress. Inspired by the vision of the Founder Jamsetji Tata and guided by a legacy of proactive philanthropy, the Tata Trusts work to catalyse systemic and sustainable change across diverse areas by building institutions, strengthening public systems, and accelerating socio-economic development in a wide variety of areas- healthcare; nutrition; education; water, sanitation and hygiene; urban and rural livelihoods, amongst others. The Trusts build meaningful solutions, bridging tradition and innovation, through collaborations that nurture grassroots efforts, empower change makers, and touch lives across India.
For more information please visit: www.tatatrusts.org
