MUMBAI: For 63-year-old Natarajan Chandrasekaran, the journey from the little village of Mohanur in Tamil Nadu’s Namakkal district to the hallowed Bombay House, headquarters of the country’s most storied corporate house, has been extraordinary. Now, with his announcement that he will not seek a third term as chairman of Tata Sons—made just six days ahead of a crucial shareholder vote—his tenure closes a turbulent yet transformative chapter for the $180-billion group.
Over the past 157 years, the Tata Group has spanned industries as diverse as salt and software, steel and semiconductors, batteries and smartphones, automobiles and airlines. Chandrasekaran’s departure marks the end of an era in the group’s long and remarkable evolution.
For an obsessive runner, Chandra has completed many major international marathons and he was also the brain behind the TCS New York and Mumbai marathons. His rise from a trainee engineer at TCS four decades ago to becoming its CEO in 2009 and then helm the Tata group as chairman from 2017—itself has been a marathon of a corporate jaunt.
The first non-Parsi to head the group in its 157-years of history, Chandra became chairman on February 20, 2017 after a boardroom coup had the previous chair Cyrus Mistry thrown out on October 24, 2016. His second five-year term ends on February 20, 2026, saw the Tata group scaling many a height-- group revenue rose 7.8% to Rs 16.24 trillion in FY26 and its net income zoomed 52% to Rs 1.71 trillion.
Tata Sons standalone revenue rose over 9% to Rs 42,367 crore and net income rose close to 22% to Rs 31,961 crore in FY26. During his 9.5 half-years as chairman, group revenue rose from Rs 6.72 trillion in FY16 to over Rs 16.2 trillion in FY26, with post-tax profit soaring more than fivefold and the combined market capitalisation of Tata companies climbed from Rs 9.3 trillion to Rs 24.4 trillion, even after a pullback from the FY25 highs.
Chandrasekaran joined TCS in 1987 as a fresher from the Trichy Regional Engineering College, and never left the fold, rising through the ranks to become the first professional chairman of Tata Sons three decades later. Only a few executives anywhere have shaped both a company and its parent conglomerate quite so completely, said an analyst describing his rise inside the group “as a study in continuity.”
In a dramatic turn of events, Chandra said Wednesday he has decided against seeking a reappointment after his current term ends on February 20, 2027. The decision came just days ahead of the scheduled board meeting of Tata Sons on August 18, when his reappointment as a director was not sure to be secured-- a precondition for his appointment as chairman.
The resignation had investors reacting reacting badly to the Tata group stocks, which initially shed up to 5% led by the group’s crown jewel TCS, which closed 4.5% lower while others like Tata Motors CV closed 2% up. Investors lost more than Rs 63,000 crore in just one-hour of the news flow.
Chandra turbocharged the group with many new bets, entering semiconductors, smartphones, batteries, EVs, aviation and ecommerce, though heavy losses in them ultimately became his very undoing.
Let’s take a look at how he became the transforming force breathing more life into the Tata legacy. He began with a much needed consolidation of the diverse group with 30 listed entities. Under him the Tatas regained Air India in August 2021, ending a 69-year gap since the airline's nationalisation.
However, these records did not insulate him from the complex governance politics at Tata Sons: Tata Trusts had reportedly pushed for a shorter third term, tension over board representation mounted, and his reappointment as director—essential for continuing as chairman--faced uncertainty.
Chandra’s mission as to simplifying Tata and leaves behind a more focused, financially stronger conglomerate, but also unresolved questions about succession and the balance of power between Tata Sons and Tata Trusts which own 66.4% of the group.
From the agraharam lane of Mohanur hamlet by the Cauvery to the corner office of Bombay House, his journey has been about running long distances in business and in life and his exit now looks almost poetic.
Highlights of Chandra years with the Tatas:
1987-2009: Joined TCS as an entry-level employee and soon served as COO and Executive Director of TCS.
2009-17: Led TCS as CEO and MD, makes it the group’s crown jewel that chips in with over 85% of profitOctober
2016: Joined Tata Sons as a director
2017: Took over as chairman of Tata Sons/Tata Group as the first non-Parsi and the first group insider risen entirely from within the rank.
Past chairmen of Tata Sons, which is 66.4% owned by 13 Tata family trusts, and 18.6% by Shapoorji Pallonji group, has had seven chairmen in its 157 years history.
Jamsetji Tata (1868–1904)--founder who laid initial groundwork in textiles and iron/steel.
Sir Dorabji Tata (1904–32) -- Son of Jamsetji, who expanded the group into steel, power, insurance.
Sir Nowroji Saklatvala (1932–38)--first non-Tata family chairman, guiding the group through the Great Depression.
JRD Tata (1938–91)-- Longest-serving chairman, who expanded from 14 companies to nearly 95 and founded Tata Airlines (Air India).
Ratan Tata (1991–2012, and interim 2016–17)-- Globalised the group through major acquisitions like Corus Steel, Jaguar Land Rover and Tetley.
Cyrus Mistry (2012–16)-- Second non-Tata chair whose tenure ended following a high-profile boardroom coup on October 24, 2016.
Natarajan Chandrasekaran (2017–present)-- first professional non-Parsi chairman, current term ends on February 20, 2027.
