The battle for cultural diversity. And the role of the seniormost Tamilian – Venu Srinivasan.
The Tata Trust soap opera will soon enter its defining stage. On one side are the Parsis – who stand divided – and on the other side are the Tamilians who stand united.
Inbetween, the focus on idlis and worshipping shiva over Vishnu (or is it vice versa) has led to devout Hindus having to eat meat in Nasik. The outcome of cultural diversity failure in the leadership is not exactly unexpected. Even pets take on the personality of their owners.
But one needs to understand the seniormost Tamilian in the Tata hierarchy. And his background.
My understanding of the man started way back in the l980s. The first family of business in Tamil Nadu was the Amalgamation Group. It is quiet, understated and phenomenally powerful. The group has outstanding companies from Massey Ferguson in tractors to India Pistons to Higgin Bothams.
The group, founded in 1938 was led by two brothers – Krishnamurti and Sivasailam. Krishnamurti wasn’t married. And Sivasailam had two daughters. Mallika and Meenakshi. Both were highly cultured and in great demand in the matrimonial market. The proud father and uncle were clear – they wanted sons in law who would join the business. Up north these are called Ghar Jamais. Nothing wrong about it. But it restricts options to possible grooms with potential but without much business.
Two grooms were identified. Venu from the TVS family and Murli who was my colleague. The TVS family was in great stress in those days as was the Enfield family. Two wheelors had a capacity glut. A pedigreed industrial family scion and a young enthusiastic professional made for a complete set.
The TVS group was restored to health courtesy the deep pockets of the Amalgamation Group. Royal Enfield went bust and was sold out to Eicher Group of Delhi. The son in law of the Enfield family who is my batchmate sought greener pastures overseas and tasted extra ordinary success.
But Venu struggled with one failed business after another. TVS Suzuki became Suzuki. TVS dot matrix printers saw category obsolescence. So Venu took to private equity.
And then a jackpot hit.
Murli passed on. Sudden heart attack.
And Venu was the only heir.
His daughter Lakshmi married Narayan Murthys son Rohan. Narayan Murthys cousin Jerry Rao is part of the Citi ecosystem. And married now to Pranlal Bhogilals daughter. His first wife died from brain haemorrhage a couple of days after Smita Patil did. His son has just had his second marriage in Goa where the entire Tamil Mahasabha was in full force. As was the deep state.
Lakshmi’s marriage with Rohan Murthy ended up in a nasty divorce.
And then the Tamil Mahasabha got him into Tata Trusts.
The rest is history.
Which is yet to unfold.
Will the Tamil Mahasabha eliminate Noel Tata using the Cyrus Mistry playbook.
Or will Noel Tata – the only statesman candidate from India – outsmart them.
I would bet on Noel.
