Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi (SR)

New Delhi, Jul 3: BK Birla group companies chairman Basant Kumar Birla passed away at the age of 98 on Wednesday. Born on 12 January 1921, he was the chairman of the Krishnarpan Charity Trust, BK Birla Institute of Engineering & Technology (BKBIET) and various educational trusts and institutes.

In April 1941, he married Sarla, the daughter of activist and writer Brijlal Biyani. They had a son, Aditya Vikram Birla, and two daughters, Jayashree Mohta and Manjushree Khaitan.

Birla, the youngest son of philanthropist Ghanshyam Das Birla, by the age of fifteen, was actively associated with a large number of companies and eventually became the chairman of Kesoram Industries. From then onwards he concentrated on the industries of cotton, viscose, polyester and nylon yarns, refractory, paper, shipping, tyrecord, transparent paper, spun pipe, cement, tea, coffee etc.

He also established Birla Public School in Qatar and the Birla College of Arts, Science & Commerce in Kalyan. Also founded Birla Vidya Niketan in the national capital.