New Delhi: Tata Sons on Thursday said Mukund Rajan has stepped down as the Chief Ethics Officer of the company with effect from March 31.
"Mukund Rajan, 49, Chief Ethics Officer, has conveyed personal reasons for his decision to leave Tata Sons and has indicated he will be evaluating certain entrepreneurial pursuits in the coming months," the company said in a statement.
Over a period of 23 years, Rajan, a Tata Administrative Service (TAS) Officer, had served the company in various leadership roles including in the telecommunication sector, private equity space and branding strategy, it added.
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Mumbai: An unexpected turn of events at the annual state-organised celebration of Dr B.R. Ambedkar’s birth anniversary left Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar in an awkward position, as both leaders were denied the opportunity to deliver their scheduled speeches.
The commemoration, held at Chaitya Bhoomi, was to feature addresses from several top dignitaries, including Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and the two deputy CMs. As per reports, brief five-minute speaking slots had been allotted to Shinde and Pawar at 10:10 a.m. and 10:15 a.m., respectively.
While the Governor and Chief Minister addressed the gathering, both Shinde and Pawar were unexpectedly left out due "time constraints." Visibly displeased, the two leaders reportedly exited the venue without addressing the media.
In a bid to end the controversy, Shinde later downplayed the incident, stating that delivering a speech was secondary to the act of paying tribute to Dr Ambedkar. "What can be more important than taking Babasaheb’s darshan at Chaitya Bhoomi? Taking Babasaheb’s darshan was important than that speech," Shinde remarked.
He said that Dr Ambedkar’s invaluable contribution to the nation cannot be forgotten, noting that his Constitution gave every citizen equal rights, empowering even the most marginalised to live with dignity. “If we can genuinely follow even one of his principles, it would be the greatest tribute,” he added.
Shinde further emphasised that he harboured no resentment, insisting that leaders must look beyond trivial matters and focus on broader goals.
Echoing a similar sentiment, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar clarified that he voluntarily chose not to speak, citing scheduling challenges.
The incident comes amid ongoing political chatter around internal rifts within the ruling Mahayuti coalition. However, Shinde recently dismissed such speculation, stating that any differences would be resolved amicably through dialogue.