N A Soonawala, a Tata group veteran and a close confidant of group patriarch Ratan Tata has decided to retire as the trustee of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Tata Trust citing his health and advanced age.
In a statement, Tata Trusts said Soonawala, 83, has expressed his gratitude to the trustees for providing him with the privilege of working with them and the directors of the Tata group, who have been his colleagues during his long career. Soonawala was vice-chairman of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata group.
"The trustees acknowledge the significant contribution Soonawala has made as a trustee and in the group over the years and respect his desire to step down from the trusts. Ratan N Tata also expressed his personal thanks to Soonawala for his colleagueship over the years and wished him good health in the years ahead," said a statement from Tata Trusts. On February 14, Noel Tata, the half-brother of Ratan Tata, was appointed as a trustee to the Sir Ratan Tata Trust. Sir Ratan Tata Trust is the second-largest trust among the dozen-odd charities that make up the Tata Trusts.