New Delhi, Sept. 17 -- Rising tensions within the Tata Group are a sobering reminder that the passing of a towering leader often brings latent fissures to the surface.

After the death of Dhirubhai Ambani, the Reliance group saw an acrimonious split between his sons. In the Murugappa group, the death of MV Murugappan in 2017 was followed by a bitter family feud after his eldest daughter Valli Arunachalam sought a board seat in Ambadi Investments Ltd, the holding company.

Are we now witnessing a similar moment at Bombay House, the 157-year-old nerve centre of the Tata empire? Recent conflicts involving the trusts that control the group indicate this isn't just a routine transition period. They reflect deeper structural challenges in manag...