The Hindu : Front Page : Industrialist K.K. Birla passes away

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Industrialist K.K. Birla passes away

Special Correspondent

— Photo: PTI/Ashok Bhaumik

B.K. Birla, Kumara Mangalam Birla and other members of the Birla family carry the body of industrialist K.K. Birla, who passed away in Kolkata on Saturday.

Kolkata: Eminent industrialist K.K. Birla (90) passed away on Saturday morning at his Birla Park residence here after a brief illness, patiently borne. Born at Pilani in Rajasthan on November 11, 1918, K.K. Birla was the family patriarch.

A Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament for 18 years, he is survived by three daughters — Nandini Nopany, Sobhana Bhartia and Jyoti Poddar. His wife Manorama Devi passed way on July 29 this year.

Several dignitaries, including West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi, leaders from political parties and corporate chiefs paid their tributes to ‘K.K. Babu’ as he was known, at the family residence in South Kolkata, and at the crematorium.

Mr. Gandhi said in a statement: “Krishnakumarji, as he was affectionately known, was an acute observer of national and international events and made important, though discreet, contributions to public policy, including economic policy. I offer my tribute to the memory of an outstanding social engineer, an innovative newspaper-owner and industrialist.”

“Amongst the business, I respected him the most,” said R.P. Goenka. “He has been the kind of person that legends are made of. His passing away is a loss not only to industry, but the whole nation,” said Sanjiv Goenka, vice-chairman of RPG Enterprises. Birla family scion Kumaramangalam also flew down to attend the funeral, which took place at a South Kolkata crematorium in the afternoon.

Son of Ghanshyam Das Birla, K.K. Birla was considered an industry doyen whom many corporate chiefs looked up to for guidance. He had an industrial empire which spawned fertilizers, chemicals, heavy engineering, textiles and sugar. He was the chairman of a number of Birla companies, including Chambal Fertilizers, Zuari Industries, Texmaco, Oudh Sugar and Hindustan Times.

He was also the Chancellor of the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani, an educational institution whose standards have often been compared with that of the IITs.

K.K. Birla’s school education was in Kolkata and Delhi while his higher education was between Calcutta University and Punjab University in undivided India. He was awarded D. Litt. by the Pondicherry University.

He founded the K.K. Birla Foundation, which gives awards for excellence in arts, philosophy, literature, scientific research and sports. His K.K. Birla Academy of Scientific, Historical and Cultural Research is planning a scientific museum, official sources at Hindustan Times said.

K.K. Birla’s literary achievements are many including the autobiographical ‘Brushes with History.’ Books penned by him include ‘Indira Gandhi: Reminiscences,’ and ‘Partners in Progress - Collection of Selected Speeches and Writings.’ His contributions to the cause of Hindi literature and journalism are considered to be very substantial.

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