(Agencies) VADA Dasturji Khurshed Dastoor, High Priest of the Iranshah Atash Behram in Udvada, Gujarat, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, appealing for restraint and reconciliation amid the ongoing differences involving Tata Sons, Tata Trusts and the Shapoorji Pallonji (SP) Group. In his November 11 letter, Dastoor highlighted the SP Group’s philanthropic contributions to the Zoroastrian community over the past three decades. He said the interests of the community and its philanthropic legacy should not be compromised by prolonged disputes between individuals or institutions. “What began as a corporate and governance matter has unfortunately evolved into a prolonged public disagreement, with the potential to affect institutions and relationships that have been built over generations. I sincerely hope that all concerned parties will exercise restraint, wisdom and maturity, and choose dialogue over disagreement,” the high priest said.

 

The letter details several initiatives undertaken by the SP Group, including the restoration of fire temples across western and northern India. These include the Iranshah Atash Behram in Udvada, Vesu Agiary in Surat, New Delhi Dar-e-Meher and Thoothi Agiary in Mumbai. The group has also made a substantial endowment to the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London to establish the SOAS Shapoorji Pallonji Institute for Zoroastrian Studies. Other contributions cited in the letter include the establishment and operation of an old-age home on the premises of Parsi General Hospital in Mumbai, financial and managerial support to Masina Hospital, and the running of an institution for elderly widows. “Towards these and many other initiatives, the SP Group has invested substantial time and resources to benefit the Zoroastrian community in India and globally,” Dastoor said.

 

The letter comes against the backdrop of differences involving Tata Sons and its majority shareholder, Tata Trusts, which spilled into the public domain following the September 17 board meeting of the Tata Group’s holding company. The SP Group, which holds around 18.37% in Tata Sons, has been seeking liquidity for its investment in the company. Tata Trusts chairman and nominee director on the Tata Sons board, Noel Tata, had submitted a proposal that would allow the SP Group to access liquidity of Rs 25,000 crore over the next few months. The Tata Sons board has yet to comment on the proposal. Calling for the matter to be resolved within the framework of law, Dastoor said preserving philanthropic institutions and upholding the rule of law were not competing objectives, but could reinforce each other. He urged all parties to resolve their differences through dialogue.