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{{Short description|Danish businessman and engineer (1907–2003)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Henning Holck-Larsen
| image = Henning Holck-Larsen 2008 stamp of India.jpg
| caption = Holck-Larsen on a 2008 stamp of India
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1907|07|04}}
| birth_place = [[Frederiksberg]], Denmark
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2003|07|27|1907|07|04}}
| death_place = [[Mumbai]], India

Republic of India (1950–2003)
| known_for = Founder of [[Larsen & Toubro]]
}}
'''Henning Holck-Larsen''' (4 July 1907 – 27 July 2003) was a [[Denmark|Danish]]-born Indian engineer who co-founded the engineering firm [[Larsen & Toubro]] (L&T) along with [[Søren Kristian Toubro]] (27 February 1906 – 4 March 1982).<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Story of Larsen & Toubro Construction Company |url=https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/story-larsen-toubro-construction-company-dr-shashank-shah |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=www.linkedin.com |language=en}}</ref>

== Early life and career ==

Holck-Larsen was educated at the [[University of Copenhagen]] (and what is now the [[Technical University of Denmark]]). He came to [[India]] in 1937 as a chemical engineer working for [[FLSmidth|F. L. Smidth & Co.]] of [[Copenhagen]]. Partnering with his former schoolmate and fellow employee [[Søren Kristian Toubro]], he set up [[Larsen & Toubro]] in 1938. The idea of L&T was conceived during a holiday in [[Matheran]], a hill station near [[Mumbai]].<ref name="the_hindu_formula">{{cite news
| url = http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2006/03/06/stories/2006030600380500.htm
| title = The Toubro formula
| work = [[The Hindu]]
| date = 6 March 2006
| access-date = 13 May 2009
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080317102248/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2006/03/06/stories/2006030600380500.htm
| archive-date = 17 March 2008
| url-status = usurped
}}</ref> Holck-Larsen was a risk-taker while Toubro was more conservative.<ref name="the_hindu_giant">{{cite news
| url = http://www.blonnet.com/2007/07/04/stories/2007070450270900.htm
| title = The engineer behind the giant
| author = N. Ramakrishnan
| work = [[The Hindu]]
| date = 4 July 2007
| access-date = 13 May 2009
}}</ref> Holck-Larsen and Toubro saw opportunities in India at a time when few Europeans had realised the country's potential for industrial growth.

The first office of L&T, located in Mumbai, was so small that only one of them could use it at a time.<ref name="larsentoubro_evolution">{{cite web
|url=http://www.larsentoubro.com/lntcorporate/common/UI_Templates/html/common_AABL_BHIS.htm
|title=Evolution of L&T
|publisher=L&T
|access-date=13 May 2009
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713184540/http://www.larsentoubro.com/lntcorporate/common/UI_Templates/html/common_AABL_BHIS.htm
|archive-date=13 July 2011
}}</ref> Initially, L&T represented Danish dairy equipment manufacturers. However, the Danish imports were restricted during the [[World War II]], forcing L&T to start a small workshop that provided servicing and undertook small jobs. The imports stopped after the [[Operation Weserübung|German invasion of Denmark]], forcing L&T to start manufacturing dairy equipment indigenously, a move that was successful.<ref name="larsentoubro_evolution" />

Seeing opportunity in ship repair during wartime, Holck-Larsen and Toubro formed a new company called Hilda Ltd. Around this time, L&T also started two repair and fabrication shops. The wartime internment of German engineers who were supposed to build a soda ash plant for the [[Tata Group|Tatas]] provided L&T another new opportunity.<ref name="larsentoubro_evolution" />

In 1944, Holck-Larsen and Toubro established Engineering Construction & Contracts (ECC). L&T started collaborating with international companies around this time. In 1945, it signed an agreement with the [[Caterpillar Tractor Company]] of USA for marketing earthmoving equipment. L&T also started representing British manufacturers of equipment used to manufacture a variety of products including biscuits, glass, hydrogenated oils and soaps.<ref name="larsentoubro_evolution" /> At the end of World War II, the war-surplus Caterpillar equipment was available in bulk at low prices. However, L&T lacked the money to purchase them. Therefore, Holck-Larsen and Toubro decided to raise additional equity capital, and as a result, Larsen & Toubro Private Limited was established on 7 February 1946.<ref name="larsentoubro_evolution" /> After India gained independence in 1947, L&T set up offices in [[Calcutta]], [[Madras]] and [[New Delhi]].

He naturalised as a citizen of the Republic of India in 1950, giving up his Danish citizenship.

Holck-Larsen and Toubro gradually transformed L&T into a large business house with diverse interests, and went on to become one of the most successful Indian companies.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}

He later wedded his wife Karen at the [[Church of St Andrew and St Columba]].<ref name="Harboe 2021 p. 102">{{cite book | last=Harboe | first=J. | title=Tigeren i sit leje. Henning Holck-Larsen og hans virksomhed i Indien | publisher=SAGA Egmont | year=2021 | isbn=978-87-26-55767-1 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l2k1EAAAQBAJ&pg=PT102 | language=da | access-date=2023-07-02 | page=102}}</ref> After retirement, Holck-Larsen served as the chairman emeritus of the company. He used to call India his "adopted homeland" and divided his time between Denmark and India.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://www.hinduonnet.com/2003/07/28/stories/2003072802791300.htm
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20031106054611/http://www.hinduonnet.com/2003/07/28/stories/2003072802791300.htm
| url-status = usurped
| archive-date = 6 November 2003
| title = L&T co-founder Holck-Larsen dead
| work = [[The Hindu]]
| date = 28 July 2003
| access-date = 13 May 2009
}}</ref> He died in 2003 at the Breach Candy hospital, [[Mumbai]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2003-07-28 |title=Larsen of Larsen & Toubro passes away at 96 |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/larsen-of-larsen-toubro-passes-away-at-96/articleshow/97822.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2025-01-12 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}</ref> {{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}

== Awards and recognitions ==

* [[Ramon Magsaysay Award]] for International Understanding (1976)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-09-09 |title=Indian Recipients of Ramon Magsaysay Award |url=https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/indian-recipients-of-ramon-magsaysay-award-1461817778-1 |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=Jagranjosh.com |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Knighthood]] from Queen [[Margrethe II]] of Denmark (1977)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Henning Holck-Larsen |url=https://www.indiatoday.dk/henning-holck-larsen/ |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=www.indiatoday.dk |language=en}}</ref>
* Sir Jehangir Ghandy Medal for Industrial Peace (1980){{citation needed|date=February 2025}}
* Chemtech Foundation's Chemical Industry Stalwart Award (2000){{citation needed|date=February 2025}}
* Bombay Management Association's Lifetime Achievement Award (2001){{citation needed|date=February 2025}}
* Citation from the Indo-European Union Business Summit for promoting business beyond boundaries (2002){{citation needed|date=February 2025}}
* [[Padma Bhushan]] (2002) for contribution to Indian industry.<ref name="Padma Awards">{{cite web |url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |title=Padma Awards |publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India |date=2015 |access-date=21 July 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |archive-date=15 October 2015 }}</ref>
* India Post issued a commemorative postage stamp of ₹5.00 on 12 June 2008<ref>{{Cite web |title=India 2008 MNH Henning Holck Larsen (Block B/L 4) |url=https://myindiamint.com/products/india-2008-mnh-henning-holck-larsen-block-b-l-4 |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=indiamintstamps}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Larsen & Toubro}}
{{PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 2000–09}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Holcklarsen, Henning}}
[[Category:1907 births]]
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:Larsen & Toubro]]
[[Category:20th-century Danish businesspeople]]
[[Category:Danish expatriate businesspeople in India]]
[[Category:People from Frederiksberg]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Copenhagen]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Mumbai]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in trade and industry]]
[[Category:Ramon Magsaysay Award winners]]

Henning Holck-Larsen - Revision history

Felipa7295 at 22:50, 7 February 2026