Tata reiterates group’s collective commitment to philanthropy

NEW DELHI: The Tata trusts have never abused their position as charity organisations. Ratan Tata, chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, has highlighted how over the century and more since they were established, the group’s philanthropic endeavors have made a difference to society.

In an interview published in the latest edition of Tata Review, the group’s in-house journal, Tata said “We have never had trustees grab land or line their pockets in some other way, as happens from time to time in the philanthropy space.”

The interview covers the change of tack in the Tata Trusts concept of philanthropy over the last few years. Tata, who now spends most of his time steering the trusts, talks about how as group chairman he had tried to bring its various companies together for a more unified approach to large social development programmes. “The last four years have seen the dismantling of that approach and a return to individual companies doing their bit. Consequently, instead of one powerful set of initiatives, we could end up having disparate projects run by various companies,” he said.

Tata, however, left the choice of the model best suited for the group to the new leadership headed by N Chandrasekaran.

Tata also gave a thumbs up to state governments whose chief ministers he said have been keen to see the programmes undertaken succeed.