View source for C. K. Birla

{{Short description|Indian industrialist and philanthropist (born 1955)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = C. K. Birla
| birth_name         = Chandra Kant Birla
| birth_date         = {{Birth year and age|1955}}
| birth_place        = [[Calcutta]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]]
| other_names        =
| citizenship        =
| education          =
| alma_mater         = [[La Martinière Calcutta|La Martiniere]]<br> [[St. Xavier's College, Kolkata]]
| occupation         = [[Industrialist]]
| television         =
| title              = Chairman, [[CKA Birla Group]] (Formerly [[CK Birla Group]])
| term               =
| predecessor        = [[Ganga Prasad Birla]]
| successor          =
| boards             =
| spouse             = Amita Birla
| children           = 2
| parents            = [[Ganga Prasad Birla]]<br>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]]).<ref name="0:1">{{cite news |title=Who is C K Birla? |url=https://www.business-standard.com/about/who-is-c-k-birla |access-date=17 November 2023 |publisher=[[Business Standard]]}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Birla was born in 1955 in [[Kolkata]]. He completed his schooling at [[La Martinière Calcutta|La Martiniere for Boys]], [[Calcutta]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mitra |first1=Sumit |last2=Malik |first2=Ashok |title=Ambassador Retro triggers nostalgia, Hindustan Motors hopes to revive the car |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/economy/story/20020211-ambassador-retro-triggers-nostalgia-hindustan-motors-hopes-to-revive-the-car-795834-2002-02-10 |publisher=[[India Today]] |date=February 11, 2002}}</ref> and later he graduated with a degree in economics from [[St. Xavier's College, Kolkata]].<ref>{{cite book |author1=Aprakash Chandra Bose |author2=Rupa K. Bose |title=Choosing an Indian Associate How to Evaluate Partnerships for Profit |date=1989 |publisher=Business International Asia/Pacific Limited |pages=48 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F1jwAAAAMAAJ&q=Chandrakant+Birla}}</ref> He is the son of industrialist [[Ganga Prasad Birla]] and the grandson of [[Braj Mohan Birla]].<ref>{{cite news |title=GP Birla dies at 87 |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/gp-birla-dies-at-87-110030700014_1.html |publisher=[[Business Standard]] |date=January 21, 2013}}</ref> He gained business expertise under the guidance of his grandfather, B. M. Birla, regarding him as his mentor.<ref name=Marwariheritage>{{cite book |author1=D. K. Taknet |author-link=D. K. Taknet |title=The Marwari Heritage |date=2016 |publisher=IntegralDMS |isbn=9781942322061 |page=409 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kXS2DAAAQBAJ&dq=Chandra+Kant+Birla&pg=PA409}}</ref>

==Career==
Birla is chairman of the [[CKA Birla Group]] (Formerly [[CK Birla Group]]), overseeing its diversified operations across the country.<ref name="0:1"/>

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 Mills|Orient Paper & Industries]].<ref name="0:1"/> He is on the board of directors at [[Birlasoft]]. 

He is a member of the board of directors of the [[Commonwealth Business Council]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cbcglobal.org/about/board-of-directors/mr-ck-birla |title=Commonwealth Business Council |access-date=17 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140418220901/http://www.cbcglobal.org/about/board-of-directors/mr-ck-birla |archive-date=18 April 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> chairman of the board of governors of the [[Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra|Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bitmesra.ac.in/cms-aboutus.aspx?this=1&mid=1 |title=BIT Mesra |access-date=30 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502010211/https://www.bitmesra.ac.in/cms-aboutus.aspx?this=1&mid=1 |archive-date=2 May 2014 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> and a trustee of The Calcutta Medical Research Institute.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ckbirlagroup.com/mr-ck-birla.htm |title=About Chairman on CK Birla Group website |access-date=17 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140418234029/http://www.ckbirlagroup.com/mr-ck-birla.htm |archive-date=18 April 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Birla is a member of the National Committee of the [[Confederation of Indian Industry]] (CII).<ref>{{cite news |title=High level CII Delegation to accompany Finance Minister to Japan |url=https://www.cii.in/CS_PressreleasesDetail.aspx?enc=KWp+jfoXo8xr51j1tHBRWCOp10z1Yu8pwkrQXUvjK7UoAT/Av490+L5cDJ3UOX2hFGo4VQdU2OrMQZ4qyA+UXEOXt1yLBRz2uvuNwz0HnAXMyjDAl8biTBbkeMEQCDmApxmFZ4X7YXJOB7fCyB5i6SpEne4AFPIfWT2JUYXXVlzpBiChI33Mtx+r74RrUkLbfo4NVGZ5sKON8c7LV6TVdAumcFtyehMFuPnVftle4cQamU0CCZ4Yjlb/LpZVzflKyddgLe2xzYxZslktsgScwQ== |publisher=CII |date=January 1, 2016}}</ref> He was also the chairman of the board of governors at the [[Indian Institute of Management Udaipur|Indian Institute of Management, Udaipur]].<ref>{{cite news |title=IIM-A to be mentor to Udaipur |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/iim-a-to-be-mentor-to-udaipur/story-IlOobrNdIrJpuC5EJ16f7O.html |publisher=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=June 24, 2010}}</ref>

Birla was on the board of Century Textile and Industries through his shareholding at Pilani Investment and Industries Corporation, a Birla family holding company.<ref name=NYtimes>{{cite news |last1=Chowdhury |first1=Neel |title=The Divided Birla Clan Aims for Compromise : India's Troubled Empire |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/05/15/business/worldbusiness/IHT-the-divided-birla-clan-aims-for-compromise-indias.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=May 15, 1996}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=C K Birla To Skip Century Tex Agm |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/specials/c-k-birla-to-skip-century-tex-agm-197072201092_1.html |publisher=[[Business Standard]] |date=July 22, 1997}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=S K Birla, C K Birla resign from board of Century Textiles |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/s-k-birla-c-k-birla-resign-from-board-of-century-textiles-106022300031_1.html |publisher=[[Business Standard]] |date=February 23, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Birla duo exits Century board |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/business/birla-duo-exits-century-board/cid/817333 |publisher=[[The Telegraph (India)|The Telegraph]] |date=February 23, 2006}}</ref>

He was appointed as the chairman of [[Hindustan Motors]] in November 1997 and resigned from the chairmanship and directorship in December 2013.<ref>{{cite news |title=C.K. Birla steps down as chairman of Hindustan Motors |url=https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/jack-ma-loses-usd-683-million-on-alibaba-after-its-shares-drop-by-9-per-cent-11700215873383.html |publisher=[[Livemint]] |date=December 23, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Dutt |first1=Ishita Ayan |title=What next for CK Birla after Hindustan Motors? |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/what-next-for-ck-birla-after-hindustan-motors-114061101349_1.html |publisher=[[Business Standard]] |date=June 11, 2014}}</ref>

== Philanthropy ==
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]].<ref name=Marwariheritage/>

He oversees the G. P. Birla Archaeological Astronomical and Scientific Research Institute (GPBAASRI), [[Birla Science Museum|BM Birla Science Centre]], and Space Museum in Hyderabad.<ref>{{cite news |title=Space Museum opened at Hyderabad with ISRO Collaboration |url=https://www.isro.gov.in/Space%20Museum%20opened.html |publisher=[[ISRO]] |date=2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=City welcomes India's first private space museum |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/city-welcomes-indias-first-private-space-museum/articleshow/70402881.cms |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=July 27, 2019}}</ref>

In April 2020, Birla, his wife Amita Birla, and the [[CKA Birla Group]] (Formerly [[CK Birla Group]]) jointly committed a sum of {{INR}}35 crores to support the government's efforts against the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. Of this, {{INR}}25 crores were directed to the [[PM CARES Fund]], with the remaining funds allocated to state government initiatives for the procurement of equipment.<ref>{{cite news |title=CK Birla Group commits Rs 35 crore to PM-CARES Fund |url=https://realty.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/allied-industries/ck-birla-group-commits-rs-35-crore-to-pm-cares-fund/74985920 |publisher=[[The Economic Times]] |date=April 4, 2020}}</ref>

==Personal life==
In 1975,  Birla married Amita Birla, the daughter of [[Raj Bagri, Baron Bagri|Raj Kumar Bagri]], a co-founder of the London-based [[London Metal Exchange]] and his wife Usha Maheshwary.<ref name=Debrett>{{cite book |author1=Susan Morris |title=Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage 2019 |date=2020 |publisher=eBook Partnership |isbn=9781999767051 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=99tHEAAAQBAJ&dq=Chandra+Kant+Birla+wife+Amita+Birla&pg=PA1644}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Meet the Titans of the Metal and Steel Industry |url=http://www.indianmetals.com/news/portraits.php |publisher=Indianmetals.com}}</ref> The couple has two daughters.<ref>{{cite web |title=Birla Family Tree: The journey of the Birla legacy from Shiv Narain Birla to Ananya and Vedant Birla |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/life/lifestyle-birla-family-tree-the-journey-of-the-birla-legacy-from-shiv-narain-to-nirvan-and-vedant-birla-3409662/#:~:text=CK%20Birla%20has%20two%20daughter,President%2C%20Strategy%20at%20HIL%20Limited. |website=Financialexpress |language=en |date=18 June 2024}}</ref>

== Recognition ==
The [[World Economic Forum]] in [[Davos]], Switzerland, honored Birla as a Global Leader for Tomorrow, recognizing him among a select group of industrialists.<ref name=Marwariheritage/> The [[Rajasthan Foundation]], under the [[Government of Rajasthan]], has listed him among the "Legends of Rajasthan" in the business category.<ref>{{cite web |title=Legends of Rajasthan |url=https://foundation.rajasthan.gov.in/LegendsOfRajathan.aspx |website=foundation.rajasthan.gov.in |publisher=[[Rajasthan Foundation]] |access-date=17 November 2023}}</ref>
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==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Birla family}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Birla, Chandra Kant}}
[[Category:Businesspeople from Delhi]]
[[Category:Indian billionaires]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Birla family|Chandra Kant]]
[[Category:Rajasthani people]]
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:La Martiniere Calcutta alumni]]
[[Category:St. Xavier's College, Kolkata alumni]]
[[Category:CK Birla Group]]