KK Birla

Calcutta, Aug. 30: Krishna Kumar Birla, who headed one of the country’s biggest business empires, passed away this morning at his residence after a brief illness.

He was 90, and is survived by three daughters, Jyotsna Poddar, Nandini Nopany and Shobhana Bhartia.

Son of the legendary Ghanashyam Das Birla, KK Babu, as he was affectionately called in industry circles, was also a three-time member of the Rajya Sabha, where he served 18 years from 1984.

The eldest member of the Birla family, who lost his wife Manorama Devi about a month ago, leaves behind a business empire that straddles fields as diverse as sugar, fertiliser, engineering, media and shipping.

Family sources said Birla had been suffering from pneumonia and was not keeping well for the past two weeks. “But it came as a shock to us. We were only worried that the pace of recovery was not fast. Doctors last evening had said not to worry,” said a source.

The end came at 7.25am at his Birla Park home in the city with family members by his side.

Among those present at his funeral this afternoon were younger brother Basant Kumar Birla, his daughters, grandson Chandrasekhar Nopany, Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of the Aditya Vikram Birla Group, and Hindustan Motors chairman Chandrakant Birla.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he ranked K.K. Birla among the “greatest industrial leaders India has produced”.

Bengal governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi said: “Within days of the passing away of his wife, we have lost a couple that stood apart in high-mindedness and public spiritedness.”

“Among businessmen, I respected K.K. Birla the most,” said RPG Enterprises chairman Rama Prasad Goenka.

Birla High School for Boys and Birla High School for Girls will be closed on Monday as a mark of respect. Mahadevi Birla Girls Higher Secondary School will also remain closed.