Bombay House battles: How Ratan Tata once defeated the old guard

Ratan Tata’s rise as Tata Sons chairman in 1991 triggered a dramatic power struggle with the Tata Group’s old guard. Russi Mody, Darbari Seth and Ajit Kerkar had built powerful, autonomous empires within Tata companies. Through retirement policies, boardroom alliances and stronger central governance, Ratan Tata gradually asserted Tata Sons’ authority, reshaping the conglomerate and laying the foundation for its global expansion.