MUMBAI: In a step towards succession planning, Tata Trusts has elevated trustees Vijay Singh and Venu Srinivasan as vice-chairmen of the public charitable bodies that together own India’s largest conglomerate, the $100-billionplus Tata group . The elevations indicate that the duo will manage the affairs of the Trusts in the absence of chairman Ratan Tata.While Singh, a former defence secretary, was inducted as a trustee of Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT) and Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT) three months ago, Srinivasan, chairman of TVS Motor, was brought on the board of SDTT in 2016.SDTT and SRTT are the two biggest philanthropic arms within the Trusts and they together own nearly 52% of Tata Sons, the holding company of the salt-to-software group. This is perhaps the first time that non-Tata, non-Parsi members have been given leadership roles at the Trusts. Singh and Srinivasan were named vice chairmen of seven Trusts after the board of trustees met on Wednesday, said a statement from Tata Trusts. The other common trustees on SDTT and SRTT are old Tata hands, Noshir Soonawala, R K Krishna Kumar and R Venkataramanan.There has been speculation that Ratan Tata’s stepbrother Noel Tata, who is chairman of group company Trent, and his son Neville would find a seat on the board of the Trusts, but the latest changes leave the issue unsettled.While Singh, 70, and Srinivasan, 66, each have a threeyear term at the Trusts, they could be reappointed for successive terms without age restrictions. The announcement comes a couple of weeks before Ratan Tata turns 81.The post of vice-chairman has been revived after several years through the restructuring: the late Jamshed Bhabha, former director of Tata Sons and chairman of National Centre for the Performing Arts, was the last vice chairman of SDTT in 2007.The Trusts that the duo will oversee contribute Rs 1,200 crore each year to philanthropic activities in sectors including healthcare, nutrition, education, rural upliftment and the arts.Before joining the Trusts, Singh and Srinivasan have been on the board of Tata Sons. Singh stepped down from the director’s position at Tata Sons on reaching the retirement age of 70 years. Srinivasan continues in the post, dividing his time between steering TVS Motor and his role at the Trusts. He is also managing trustee at Srinivasan Services Trust, which undertakes philanthropic work in various fields.The restructuring of roles at the Trusts comes close on the heels of Bain Capital MD Amit Chandra stepping down from the board of SRTT. Chandra, however, continues to represent the Trusts on the board of Tata Sons. But he has plans to give up the Tata Sons board position too in the near future, as reported by TOI on November 20.The Trusts have control over Tata Sons and according to the holding company’s Articles of Association, the Trusts can nominate one-third of the directors on the firm’s board. It was behind the removal of Cyrus Mistry from the chairman’s post at Tata Sons in October 2016. Set up in 1892, the Trusts’ activities took off in a major way when Sir Dorab Tata, the elder son of Tata Group founder, Jamsetji Tata, established SDTT in 1932. Just like JRD Tata who held the chairman’s position at the Trusts for life, Ratan Tata is also expected to follow suit.