A driven veteran, 'Chandra' signals continuity for Tatas

Chandrasekaran's foremost challenge will be to regain the trust and loss of reputation of Tata group

A three-decade veteran of the Tata conglomerate and front-runner for the top job since the day his predecessor was ousted, Natarajan Chandrasekaran is one of the group's most highly regarded executives and the man behind its best-performing unit.

A former Tata intern, Chandrasekaran, known as "Chandra", is cited by employees and rivals both for the focus that got him through several marathons and for a prodigious memory.

But a selection panel's unanimous choice on Thursday of the self-effacing Tata lifer to take the reins at holding company Tata Sons is also about a strong desire for loyalty and continuity - even if