Birla Group patriarch Basant Kumar Birla died on Wednesday in Mumbai. He was 98-years-old, PTI reported.
Birla, who was the chairman of Century Textiles and Industries, had been active in the industry since he was 15. The industrialist was also the chairman of BK Birla Institute of Engineering and Technology, and several educational trusts and institutions, The Indian Express reported. He was also known for tapping into the potential of various sectors, including cotton, viscose, polyester and nylon yarns, among other things.
He is the grandfather of Kumar Mangalam Birla, the chairman of the Aditya Birla Group. He is the father of industrialist Aditya Vikram Birla, who died in 1995.
He was the youngest son of businessman and philanthropist Ghanshyam Das Birla. Basant Kumar Birla had been known for a range of business initiatives as the chairman of Kesoram Industries, according to PTI.
The businessman is survived by his daughters Jayshree Mohta and Manjushree Khaitan.
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