#New Delhi

Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata and two other powerful trustees considered close to him blocked the reappointment of late Ratan Tata’s close associate and businessman Mehli Mistry as trustee, deepening the rift at the philanthropic arm that controls the holding company of Tata Group, people familiar with the matter said.

Noel Tata was appointed head of Tata Trusts following the death of Tata Group patriarch Ratan Tata last year.

TVS Motor Co’s chairman emeritus Venu Srinivasan and former defence secretary Vijay Singh voted against Mistry’s reappointment as trustee after the end of his three-year tenure on Tuesday, they said.

The three other trustees -- former Citibank India CEO Pramit Jhaveri, Mumbai lawyer Darius Khambata, and Pune-based philanthropist Jehangir HC Jehangir -

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