Venu Srinivasan backed N Chandrasekaran’s reappointment at Tata Sons on September 17, despite a Trust directive opposing his vote. The 73-year-old TVS veteran also supported Tata Sons’ listing plan, deepening the split within Tata Trusts in Mumbai.
Four directors backed both decisions, while Noel Tata opposed them, placing Srinivasan at the center of the boardroom dispute. Fresh filings linking TVS Motor with Chandrasekaran’s family have added new scrutiny around governance and possible disclosures.
Srinivasan belongs to the fourth generation of the TVS family founded by T V Sundaram Iyengar. He studied engineering at College of Engineering, Guindy, before completing management studies at Purdue University.
His leadership helped TVS Motor grow into a major two-wheeler and three-wheeler manufacturer in India. Quality management defined his tenure, with TVS Motor’s brakes business winning the Deming Prize in 1998.
Srinivasan received the Padma Bhushan in 2020 for his contributions to industry and public life. He joined the Reserve Bank of India’s Central Board as a non-official director in 2022.
In 2025, Srinivasan stepped away from daily TVS Motor operations and handed executive leadership to his son, Sudarshan Venu. He now serves as chairman emeritus of TVS Motor and non-executive chairman of TVS Holdings.
His role in Tata dates to 2016, making him one of the longest-serving Tata Sons board members. He also holds senior Trust positions, including vice-chairman of Sir Ratan Tata Trust. Before the September 17 meeting, Sir Dorabji Tata Trust sought to restrain Srinivasan from voting on Tata Sons’ listing. Srinivasan rejected the instruction, arguing that his director duties required him to act in Tata Sons’ interests.
Tata Trusts later challenged Chandrasekaran’s reappointment and called the decision a ‘legal nullity.’ The latest scrutiny involves Hanno One Warehousing, where Chandrasekaran’s wife Lalitha and son Pranav serve as directors. TVS Motor leased 17 acres in Tamil Nadu to Hanno One in June 2025 for a warehouse project.
HDFC Bank later offered Hanno One a Rs. 60 crore construction loan for the planned facility. Tata Trusts said Srinivasan had not disclosed the relationship to its trustees, adding another layer to the dispute.
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