Ratan Tata writes to PM Narendra Modi about Cyrus Mistry's ouster

In an unprecedented move, Ratan Tata, after assuring employees of the Tata Group, also informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about Cyrus P Mistry's ouster as chairman of the salt-to-software conglomerate.

"A new management structure is being put in place and a Selection Committee has been constituted to identify the next chairman of Tata Sons," Tata informed PM Modi in the letter. "The committee has been mandated to complete the process in four months," he added.

Industry experts are justifiably surprised as to why any rejig in the top management of private company should concern PM Modi that Tata wrote him a letter exclusively at a time when even shareholders have not been taken into confidence on the move.

The decision to remove Mistry was taken at a board meeting in Mumbai on Friday, the company said. Ratan Tata, whom Mistry had succeeded, has been called back to be interim chairman.

Tata Sons has not said why it removed Mistry, who had been at the helm of the $108 billion group, India's most prominent and reputed industrial brand, for close to four years.