Birla, K(rishna) K(umar)

▪ 2009

      Indian industrialist and philanthropist

born Nov. 12, 1918, Pilani, Rajasthan state, British India

died Aug. 30, 2008, Kolkata [Calcutta], India

guided the Birla international conglomerate (originally founded by his father, Ghanshyam Das Birla), with holdings ranging from sugar to shipping to the nationally distributed daily newspaper Hindustan Times. Birla attended Lahore University (B.A., 1939) before joining the family business in 1940. He also represented Mahatma Gandhi's Congress Party in the Rajhya Sabha (upper house of parliament) for 18 years (1984–2002). The family had a long, close association with Gandhi, who was living at Birla House in Delhi when he was assassinated (the house was acquired by the government in 1971 and opened to the public). Birla's philanthropic work included the Birla Institute of Science and Technology and the International Centre for Excellence (both established by his father), the K.K. Birla Foundation, the K.K. Birla Academy of Scientific, Historical and Cultural Research, and the Lakshmi Narayan Hindu temple in Delhi.

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