Basant Kumar Birla facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Basant Kumar Birla
GCM
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| Born | 12 January 1921 |
| Died | 3 July 2019 (aged 98) |
| Nationality | British Indian (1921–1947) Indian (1947-2019) |
| Citizenship | Indian |
| Education | University of Calcutta, (Bsc) |
| Years active | 1942-2019 |
| Agent | Businessman, Educationist |
| Known for | Industrialist |
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) |
| Title | Chairman of Birla Group |
| Predecessor | Ghanshyam Das Birla |
| Successor | Aditya Vikram Birla |
| Spouse(s) | Sarla Birla (1942-2015) |
| Children | Aditya Vikram Birla, Jayshree Mohta, Manjushree Khaitan |
| Parent(s) | Ghanshyam Das Birla |
| Relatives | Kumar Mangalam Birla (Grandson) Ananya Birla (Great Grand Daughter) KK Birla (Brother) |
| Awards | Padma Bhushan Order of the Holy Trinity Order of Menelik II |
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Basant Kumar Birla (born January 12, 1921 – died July 3, 2019) was a famous Indian businessman. He was part of the well-known Birla family, who are known for their many businesses and charitable work. Basant Kumar Birla led several important organizations, including the Krishnarpan Charity Trust and the BK Birla Institute of Engineering & Technology. He also supported many schools and colleges.
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A Life in Business and Giving Back
Basant Kumar Birla was the youngest son of G. D. Birla, a very successful businessman and someone who gave a lot to charity. Basant Kumar was born in Kolkata on January 12, 1921. Even when he was just 15 years old, he started getting involved in many companies.
He eventually became the head of Kesoram Industries. In this role, he worked with many different types of products. These included cotton, rayon, polyester, and nylon fabrics. He also dealt with materials for high-heat uses, paper, shipping, and parts for tires. Other products he worked with were transparent paper, pipes, cement, tea, coffee, and spices like cardamom. He also handled chemicals, plywood, and MDF boards.
International Connections
In 1959, Basant Kumar Birla started a new company called Indo Ethiopian Textiles Share Company. This was a big step because it was the first time an Indian businessman created such a large joint venture abroad. A joint venture is when two or more companies work together on a project.
Because of this important work, the Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I, gave him a special award. It was called the Order of Menelik II, which is the highest award in Ethiopia.
Family Life
On April 13, 1942, Basant Kumar Birla married Sarla Birla. She was the daughter of a writer and activist named Brijlal Biyani. They were introduced to each other by Jamnalal Bajaj and Mahatma Gandhi in 1941. Basant Kumar and Sarla had one son, Aditya Vikram Birla, and two daughters, Jayshree Birla and Manjushree Birla.
Supporting Education
Basant Kumar Birla was very dedicated to education. He was the chairman of the Krishnarpan Charity Trust. This trust runs an engineering college called BK Birla Institute of Engineering & Technology in Pilani, Rajasthan. He also led the Swargashram Trust, which manages a Sanskrit school in Rishikesh. Sanskrit is an ancient Indian language.
He also helped set up schools and colleges in other places. These include Birla Public School in Qatar and the Birla College of Arts, Science & Commerce near Mumbai. Basant Kumar Birla also wrote several books, including a book about his own life called Svantah Sukhaya.
Basant Kumar Birla passed away on July 3, 2019, when he was 98 years old.
See also
- Birla Family
- B K Birla Centre For Education
