Tata Trusts on Tuesday announced key additions to the board of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT), inducting Neville Tata, son of Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata, and seasoned Tata Group veteran Bhaskar Bhat as trustees. Their appointments, effective November 12, will span a three-year term.
The Board of Trustees also approved the appointment of TVS Group stalwart Venu Srinivasan as Trustee and Vice Chairman of SDTT for the same period, after completing legal and regulatory formalities.
Neville Tata, 32, represents the next generation of the Tata family. A Bayes Business School graduate, Neville currently serves on the boards of the JRD Tata Trust, Tata Social Welfare Trust and RD Tata Trust. According to reports, industry watchers expect his role within the Tata philanthropic ecosystem to expand further. There is reportedly a possibility of him joining the Sir Ratan Tata Trust as well. Together, SDTT and SRTT hold over 51% of Tata Sons.
Who is Bhaskar Bhat?
The induction of Bhaskar Bhat brings deep operational and leadership experience to the trust’s board. The 71-year-old joined the Tata Watch Project in 1983 after beginning his career at Godrej & Boyce. Over three decades at Titan, he played a pivotal role in shaping the company into one of India’s most admired consumer brands.
As managing director from 2002 to 2019, Bhat oversaw Titan’s expansion from a watchmaker into a diversified lifestyle and precision engineering company, with strong positions in jewellery, eyewear, fragrances and accessories. Under his leadership, Titan became India’s largest watch manufacturer and the sixth largest globally.
An alumnus of IIT Madras and IIM Ahmedabad, Bhat is widely credited with pioneering modern retailing and franchising models in India’s lifestyle sector. He continues to serve on multiple boards, including Tata Sons.
