Vikrant Shekhawat : Oct 26, 2024, 07:00 AM
Ratan Tata Will: Industrialist Ratan Tata died on the 9th of this month, after which there was speculation about the division of his property and the direction of his investments. Now his will has come to the fore, which mentions the distribution of his property and the future of investments made in startups in which Ratan Tata had personally invested during his lifetime. This includes major companies like Ola, Ola Electric, Upstox, Curefit and Urban Company.Distribution of Ratan Tata's propertyAccording to Ratan Tata's will, his personal property is worth around Rs 10,000 crore. This property includes his stake in Tata Sons, his personal shares in other Tata Group companies, and his family residence etc. The will prescribes the distribution of property for his family members, his pet dog, household staff, and the non-profit trust established by him.Future of investment in startupsRatan Tata has also decided in his will about the personal investments made through RNT Associates and ANAT Advisors, in which he invested his capital in about 18 startups like Ola, Ola Electric, Paytm, Snapdeal, and First Cry. According to the will, his investments in these companies will be liquidated, that is, his stake will be terminated. The money received from this liquidation will be handed over to his non-profit trust 'Ratan Tata Endowment Foundation' (RTEF).What is 'Ratan Tata Endowment Foundation'?Ratan Tata established 'Ratan Tata Endowment Foundation' in 2022, which is registered in Delhi as a Section-8 company and will work for non-profit purposes. This trust follows the tradition of the Tata family, in which other members of the Tata family also donated their assets to the trust for social welfare. Similar trusts include the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the Sir Ratan Tata Trust, which fall under the Tata Trusts. Tata Trusts hold the largest stake in Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group, and in fact, the entire Tata Group is also controlled by the Tata Trusts.Transfer of stake in Tata GroupRatan Tata had stakes in major Tata Group companies such as Tata Motors, Tata Technologies and Tata Digital. According to his will, all these stakes will be transferred to RTEF. Its purpose is to work for non-profit purposes and maintain the charity tradition of the Tata family.House, cars and personal propertyThere are no clear instructions in the will about Ratan Tata's house, which he inherited as a family property, and his 20-30 luxury cars. It is likely that the final decision on these will be taken by the Tata Group or his family members.Special provision for Shantanu NaiduThe will also has a special mention for Ratan Tata's associate Shantanu Naidu. Ratan Tata's stake in Shantanu Naidu's startup Goodfellows has been instructed to be renounced in the will. Also, the loan given by Ratan Tata for Shantanu's studies abroad has also been waived off.This will of Ratan Tata reflects his philanthropic approach and commitment to his family traditions. His entire life and wealth were dedicated to social welfare works, and even after his demise, his will gives the message of carrying forward this legacy.