Goa, Sept. 19 -- The Tata Group has faced several high-stakes leadership battles over the decades, but few were as consequential as the confrontation that unfolded at Bombay House in the early 1990s, when Ratan Tata sought to assert greater control over the sprawling conglomerate.

The episode offers a historical backdrop to the latest dispute involving Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran and Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata, who are now divided over questions of leadership, control and the future structure of the group.

When Ratan Tata took charge of the Tata Group in 1991, the conglomerate was a collection of powerful companies led by influential executives. Many of these leaders had built considerable authority within their respective b...