For almost a decade, N Chandrasekaran has been the man at the centre of the Tata Group.

Now, the search for the person who will replace him has begun.

Chandrasekaran will step down as Tata Sons chairman when his current term ends on February 20, 2027. His decision not to seek another term follows months of uncertainty over his reappointment and a prolonged standoff at the group’s holding company.

Tata Trusts has now begun the process of finding his successor.

And suddenly, the question surrounding one of India’s most powerful business groups is no longer just about one chairman.

It is about who gets to shape Tata’s next chapter.

Names of senior Tata executives have started circulating. Members of the Tata family are also being discussed. And at the centre of the process is Noel Tata, the chairman of Tata Trusts and a key figure in the group’s future.

Chandrasekaran is not leaving Tata Sons immediately. He will remain chairman until his current term ends in February 2027.

The succession question began much earlier.

A proposal to extend Chandrasekaran’s tenure was discussed by the Tata Sons board in February 2026. The two principal Tata Trusts had supported his reappointment, but the proposal did not receive unanimous backing at the board. The issue remained unresolved for months.

Chandrasekaran eventually decided not to pursue another term, saying Tata Sons needed clarity on its leadership beyond February 2027.

His departure comes after a period of major expansion for the Tata Group.

Under Chandrasekaran, the group pushed further into aviation, electronics, semiconductors, electric vehicles and other new businesses, while continuing to run established giants such as TCS, Tata Motors and Tata Steel.

His successor will therefore inherit a group that is considerably more ambitious, and considerably more complicated, than the one Chandrasekaran took charge of in 2017.