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A power squabble is unfolding within Tata Trusts the majority shareholder of Tata Sons-- the holding company of the Tata Group-- as four trustees have reportedly made a coup attempt to oust Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata the half-brother of late Ratan Tata who was elevated to the position shortly after his brothers demise a year ago. Who is Noel Tata? Born in 1957 to Naval Tata and Simone Tata Noel Naval Tata is the half-brother of late Tata Group boss Ratan Tata and Jimmy Tata and currently serves as the Chairman of Tata Trusts-- an umbrella body of trusts which holds a controlling 66% stake in Tata Sons the holding company of Tata Group. Noel Tata has a bachelors degree from the University of Sussex and also attended the International Executive Programme at INSEAD business school in France The Indian-Irish businessman started his career at Tata International and became the managing director of Trent the Tata Groups retail arm in 1999. Noel Tata is married to Aloo Mistry the daughter of Pallonji Mistry who was the single largest shareholder in Tata Sons. Noel and Aloo have three children Leah Tata Maya Tata and Neville Tata. Why Noel Tata is the most powerful figure in Tata Group? In October last year weeks after the demise of Ratan Tata Noel Tata was chosen by the board to lead Tata Trusts -- an umbrella group of charities which has an overwhelming 66 percent stake in Tata Sons the holding company which runs Tata Group. The ascension essentially elevated Noel Tata to the very top of the hierarchy in the Tata Group and made the 68-year-old the single most powerful figure in the Rs 34 lakh crore Tata business empire. As the Chairman of Tata Trusts Noel Tata now wields sweeping powers over Tata Sons as the trusts hold the controlling stake in the company. However its pertinent to note that Noel Tata does not personally own these 66 percent shares of Tata Sons they are owned by the trusts. His personal stake in the company is a completely different topic. How Tata Trusts controls Tata Group? Owing to its controlling stake in the company Tata Trusts essentially wields absolute power in Tata Sons which controls Tata Group. No decision can be taken by Tata Sons without the approval of Tata Trusts making it the ultimate controlling body of the conglomerate. As per group rules the two main trusts can nominate one-third of the directors of Tata Sons and have the final authority to appoint and remove all directors. Notably these sweeping controls were given to the the two trusts when Ratan Tata changed the rules of the group upon his retirement from the post of Chairman in 2012. These changes became possible when the Central Government made made changes in the Companies Act allowing Tata Trusts to vote directly in the Tata Sons board.