Basant Kumar Birla

Basant Kumar Birla

B. K. Birla
Born 4 February 1921
Kolkata, India
Residence Kolkata
Nationality Indian
Ethnicity Marwari
Known for Industrialist
Home town Pilani
Spouse(s) SMT. SARLA BIRLA[1]
Parent(s) Ghanshyam Das Birla
Signature B. K. Birla

Basant Kumar Birla (born 4 February 1921)[2] is an Indian businessman of the Birla family. He is chairman of the Krishnarpan Charity Trust, BK Birla Institute of Engineering & Technology (BKBIET), and various educational trusts and institutes.

Biography

Birla, the youngest son of philanthropist Ghanshyam Das Birla, was born on 4 February 1921.[3] By fifteen years of age, he was already actively associated with a large number of companies and eventually became the chairman of Kesoram Industries. In this role, he concentrated on the industries of cotton, viscose, polyester and nylon yarns, refractory, paper, shipping, tyrecord, transparent paper, spun pipe, cement, tea, coffee, cardamom, chemicals, plywood, MDF Board, etc.

He later established the Indo Ethiopian Textiles Share Company, which was the first major joint venture by any Indian industrialist. In response, the Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I, awarded him the medal of the Order of Menelik II, the highest Ethiopian award.

In April 1942, he married Sarala, the daughter of activist and writer Brijlal Biyani, after having been introduced to each other by Jamnalal Bajaj and Mahatma Gandhi.[4] They had a son, Aditya Vikram Birla, and two daughters, Jayashree Mohta and Manjushree Khaitan.

He is currently the chairman of the Krishnarpan Charity Trust, which runs an engineering college named BK Birla Institute of Engineering & Technology in pilani, Rajasthan, and the Swargashram Trust, which administers a Sanskrit school in Rishikesh. He is the author of several books, including an autobiography entitled Svantah Sukhaya.

Companies

Philanthropy

He has made notable contributions through his social and institutional activities and takes an active part in their working. He is associated as governor, trustee, or otherwise by establishing the following institutions:
  • Birla Divya Jyoti, Siliguri
  • Ashok Hall Girls' Residential School, Majkhali
  • Mahadevi Birla World Academy
  • Mahadevi Birla Shishu Vihar
  • Birla Technical Training Institute, Pilani
  • Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Calcutta
  • Swar Sangam, Calcutta
  • Sangit Kala Mandir, Calcutta
  • Sangit Kala Mandir Trust, Calcutta
  • B K Birla Centre For Education, Pune
  • TB and General Hospital, Ranchi
  • Birla Pediatric Clinic
  • Addis Ababa
  • Mahadevi Birla Mangal Niketan
  • Mahadevi Birla Kalyan Mandapam
  • Temple of Understanding
  • Dharamshala and Guest Houses for pilgrims at holy places

Awards

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Basant Kumar Birla.
  1. ↑ डॉ सरला बिरला पंचतत्व में विलीन Prabhat Khabar, Mar 30 2015
  2. ↑ Himatsingka, Anuradha (6 August 2005). "Basant Kumar Birla: Grandpa of India Inc". The Economic Times. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  3. ↑ "B.K. Birla Centre of Education".
  4. ↑ "Story of India's prominent family".

External links

Documentary Film on Century Rayon – Tyre Cord Plant by Makshi Infotech