Tata Trusts, the philanthropic arm of the Tata Group, has firmly denied any association with the ‘India Visionary Leaders Summit: 2025’ and the ‘Ratan Tata National Icon Award 2025,’ set to take place in February 2025. The denial follows widespread claims that the Tata Trusts were endorsing these events and that Sheikh Abdul Rashid was selected as one of the recipients of this award. Strikingly, Sheikh Rashid is an independent Member of Parliament (MP) from Baramulla, Kashmir and is currently in Jail on charges of terror funding.
Sheikh Rashid, aka Engineer Rashid, remains a separatist figure in Kashmir politics. He is currently behind bars under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on charges of terror funding. Despite his imprisonment, he has reportedly been invited as the guest of honour at the summit and selected for the Ratan Tata National Icon Award 2025, a move that has gained significant outrage. After the declaration of Sheikh Abdul Rashid as the recipient of the award in the event, netizens started expressing their discontent with the move by lashing out at the Tata Group.
He is Sheikh Abdul Rashid.
He is an MP from Baramulla, Kashmir.
He is in jail under UAPA for terror funding.
Now,
– Rashid has been selected to receive Ratan Tata National Icon Award 2025.– Rashid has been invited as guest of honour at India Visionary Leaders Summit, funded… pic.twitter.com/ozu3vGIjfo
— Shashank Shekhar Jha (@shashank_ssj) January 30, 2025
He is Sheikh Abdul Rashid from Baramulla, Kashmir. He is in jail now bcz he funded terrorists who kills our Soldiers and he wanted Kashmir in Pakistan.
Now Rashid has been selected to receive Ratan Tata National Icon Award 2025. Legacy of Ratan Tata Sir is going to end 🤡 pic.twitter.com/KxzFSpdwHR— Voice of Hindus (@Warlock_Shubh) January 30, 2025
Following the outrage, Tata Trusts in an official statement clarified that they have no connection with the events or the award. It emphasised their complete detachment from the organisers and expressed concern over the unauthorised use of their name and that of the late Ratan N Tata, the iconic former Chairman of Tata Group.
“It has been brought to our (Tata Trusts) notice that the ‘India Visionary Leaders Summit: 2025’ and the ‘Ratan Tata National Icon Award 2025’ is being organized in February 2025, and claims are being made that the event(s) are being supported by Tata Trusts. The Tata Trusts would like to categorically state that we have no association with either the event(s) or the Award or its organizers in any form, whatsoever,” the statement read.
It has been brought to our notice that the ‘India Visionary Leaders Summit: 2025’ and the ‘Ratan Tata National Icon Award 2025’ is being organized in February 2025, and claims are being made that the event(s) are being supported by Tata Trusts. pic.twitter.com/QVd3Caihoi
— Tata Trusts (@tatatrusts) January 28, 2025
The statement also said that Tata Trusts in order to prevent the misuse of their name, took legal action, issuing a notice on December 13, 2024, to Dr. Rajat Shrivastava, founder of the Delhi Today Group, the organisation behind the events. The notice demanded that Shrivastava immediately cease associating Tata Trusts and Ratan Tata with the summit and award or face legal consequences.
Though, the Trust issued an official statement distancing itself from the event but a section of netizens stressed that they were not fully convinced from the clarification given by the trust. While some call the statement nothing but a trick to control the damage, others point out the continuous funding of anti-hindu groups by the Tata Group. Notably, the Hinduphobic ‘journalist’ Mehdi Hasan was invited as a speaker at the 14th edition of ‘Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest’.