C. K. Birla | |
|---|---|
| Born | Chandra Kant Birla 1955 (age 70–71) |
| Alma mater | La Martiniere St. Xavier's College, Kolkata |
| Occupation | Industrialist |
| Title | Chairman, CKA Birla Group (Formerly CK Birla Group) |
| Predecessor | Ganga Prasad Birla |
| Spouse | Amita Birla |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) | Ganga Prasad Birla Nirmala Devi |
| Relatives | See Birla family |
Chandra Kant Birla (born 1955) is an Indian industrialist and philanthropist. He is the chairman of the CKA Birla Group (Formerly CK Birla Group). [1]
Birla was born in 1955 in Kolkata. He completed his schooling at La Martiniere for Boys, Calcutta, [2] and later he graduated with a degree in economics from St. Xavier's College, Kolkata. [3] He is the son of industrialist Ganga Prasad Birla and the grandson of Braj Mohan Birla. [4] He gained business expertise under the guidance of his grandfather, B. M. Birla, regarding him as his mentor. [5]
Birla is chairman of the CKA Birla Group (Formerly CK Birla Group), overseeing its diversified operations across the country. [1]
He is the chairman for various companies under the group umbrella. These include AVTEC, a manufacturer of auto parts, BirlaNu (Formerly HIL Limited), Neosym, National Engineering Industries Limited (manufacturer of NBC Bearings), Orient Electric, and Orient Paper & Industries. [1] He is on the board of directors at Birlasoft.
He is a member of the board of directors of the Commonwealth Business Council, [6] chairman of the board of governors of the Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi, [7] and a trustee of The Calcutta Medical Research Institute. [8] Birla is a member of the National Committee of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). [9] He was also the chairman of the board of governors at the Indian Institute of Management, Udaipur. [10]
Birla was on the board of Century Textile and Industries through his shareholding at Pilani Investment and Industries Corporation, a Birla family holding company. [11] [12] [13] [14]
He was appointed as the chairman of Hindustan Motors in November 1997 and resigned from the chairmanship and directorship in December 2013. [15] [16]
In healthcare and education, their major initiatives comprise the B.M. Birla Heart Research Centre in Kolkata, Calcutta Medical Research Institute, a hospital in Kolkata, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra in Ranchi, Modern High School for Girls in Kolkata, and the Rukmani Birla Modern High School in Jaipur. [5]
He oversees the G. P. Birla Archaeological Astronomical and Scientific Research Institute (GPBAASRI), BM Birla Science Centre, and Space Museum in Hyderabad. [17] [18]
In April 2020, Birla, his wife Amita Birla, and the CKA Birla Group (Formerly CK Birla Group) jointly committed a sum of ₹35 crores to support the government's efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic. Of this, ₹25 crores were directed to the PM CARES Fund, with the remaining funds allocated to state government initiatives for the procurement of equipment. [19]
In 1975, Birla married Amita Birla, the daughter of Raj Kumar Bagri, a co-founder of the London-based London Metal Exchange and his wife Usha Maheshwary. [20] [21] The couple has two daughters. [22]
The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, honored Birla as a Global Leader for Tomorrow, recognizing him among a select group of industrialists. [5] The Rajasthan Foundation, under the Government of Rajasthan, has listed him among the "Legends of Rajasthan" in the business category. [23]