"Same Legacy": Niira Radia As Noel Tata Succeeds Ratan Tata At Tata Trusts

Noel Tata said in a statement that he was "deeply honoured and humbled by the responsibility" and looked forward to carrying on his half-brother's legacy.

Noel Tata, late Indian tycoon Ratan Tata's half-brother, was appointed last week to succeed him as chairman of Tata Trusts, a collective of philanthropic institutions that wield indirect control over the $165 billion Tata Group. Niira Radia, a former aide of Ratan Tata, said the late businessman would have been very happy with the decision as it was unanimous. 

"Ratan would have been very happy with that. He'd be happy that it was unanimous. He always was a man of consensus. It was never a top-down approach with him and that it was unanimous would have made him very happy," Niira Radia, a former corporate public relations professional, told NDTV about the smooth succession plan in her first media interview in over 12 years.

Ratan Tata, who died Wednesday, is responsible for turning the sprawling family-run Tata Group conglomerate into a global giant.