N Chandrasekaran: From TCS to Tata Sons, the 40-year journey that ends in 2027

“I have completed 40 years of professional life at the Tata Group.”

With those words on Wednesday, August 12, Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran announced that he would not seek another term, bringing his four-decade journey with the group towards its final chapter.

Chandrasekaran will remain chairman until February 20, 2027, when his current tenure ends, but has asked the Tata Sons board to begin the succession process soon “to ensure a proper transition”.

Chandrasekaran joined Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in 1987 and went on to lead the technology company before taking charge of Tata Sons.

From TCS engineer to chief executive

Chandrasekaran, widely known as Chandra, joined TCS in 1987. He rose through the company and became its chief executive officer and managing director in 2009, a position he held until 2017.

In October 2016, Chandra joined the Tata Sons board. Three months later, in January 2017, he was named chairman of Tata Sons and took charge in February.

The move came at a turbulent time for the group, following the removal of Cyrus Mistry as Tata Sons chairman in October 2016.

Mistry's ouster had set off a bitter boardroom and legal battle, leaving Chandrasekaran to take charge of the conglomerate at a time of considerable uncertainty.

The man who took charge of Tata Group

Chandra's tenure at Tata Sons saw the group make some of its biggest strategic bets in years.

Tata Sons' topline grew at a compounded annual rate of 11.8% during his chairmanship, while net profit grew at 19.2%.

The Tata Group also returned to aviation through its acquisition of Air India in 2022, while Tata Digital was built out as a major consumer-facing digital business.

But those bets also brought challenges.

Air India reported a ₹22,238 crore net loss in FY26, while Tata Digital reported a ₹4,974 crore loss.

These will be among the challenges facing Chandrasekaran's successor, alongside the question of Tata Sons' regulatory status and the potential threat of a listing. Tata Sons continues to be classified as an upper-layer NBFC, while its application to the Reserve Bank of India to deregister as an NBFC remains unresolved.

The third-term question

A third term for Chandra had been recommended in 2025, but the proposal remained unresolved.

Chandrasekaran said the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT) and Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT) had unanimously resolved and recommended extending his term by another five years. The recommendation was subsequently recorded and recommended by the Tata Sons Nomination and Remuneration Committee and the board.

But when the proposal came before the Tata Sons board on February 24, 2026, it did not go through.

“The proposal was not carried through because one of the Board Members did not support it, and in the absence of unanimous support, I chose to defer the decision,” Chandra said.

Six months later, there was still no resolution.

The decision to step away

Chandrasekaran said the leadership question had become important given the size of Tata Sons and the number of strategic projects underway.

Tata Sons, he said, is “a very large institution” and clarity on leadership was important for “employees, investors, partners and other stakeholders.”

He then decided not to seek another term.

“I have decided not to offer myself for reappointment when my term ends on February 20, 2027,” he said.

He has asked the board to decide on his successor soon.

Chandrasekaran will be 65 when his second term concludes in February 2027.

After joining TCS in 1987, rising to its top job and eventually taking the helm of Tata Sons, Chandrasekaran will leave the chairman's office after four decades inside the Tata Group.

His exit now puts the focus firmly on who can take over from a chairman who has spent virtually his entire professional life within the Tata Group.

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