Kumar Mangalam Birla is the chairman of the global Aditya Birla Group, India’s third-largest corporation. Born into a business family that had existed for decades, he was groomed to become a successful entrepreneur and eventually opted to join the family business. After receiving his undergraduate degree and becoming a Chartered Accountant, he completed his postgraduate studies in London. At the age of 28, his father’s untimely death came as a shock, and he assumed a great deal of business duties. When Kumar took over the Aditya Birla Group, it had already grown into a massive conglomerate that dealt in viscose, textiles, garments, cement, aluminum, and fertilizers. Consequently, he encountered considerable suspicion regarding his lack of expertise. However, he refused to be defeated by these obstacles and silenced everyone with his keen commercial acumen. He promoted new corporate practices, and his zealous attitude resulted in modifications to the organization’s operations. In addition to maintaining the company’s reputation in existing markets, he was also interested in emerging markets such as software and BPO. In addition to operating a profitable business organization, he is a prominent philanthropist who contributes greatly to the development of disadvantaged segments of society.
Youth and Early Life
14 June 1967, he was born into a Marwari business family to Aditya Vikram Birla and Rajashri Birla. He has a sister, Vasavadatta.
He is a member of the business family’s fourth generation and spent the majority of his youth in Mumbai and Kolkata. He was raised in a high-pressure environment that made him continuously aware of his family name, riches, and the responsibilities associated with them.
After completing his schooling, he earned a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Bombay. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India afterward granted him the Chartered Accountant designation.
Then he traveled abroad to get his MBA at London Business School in London, United Kingdom.
Kumar Birla’s Career
After his father’s untimely death in 1995, when Kumar was 28 years old, he assumed the position of chairman of the Aditya Birla Group of Companies. Concerns were expressed about his ability to manage such a large business, but he proved his doubters wrong.
In addition to consolidating the company’s position in its existing businesses, he moved into Telecom, Software, BPO, and other industries. He currently serves as the Chairman of the $40 billion international corporations with operations in over 40 countries and six continents.
He was also appointed chairman of the Board of Trade established by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and chairman of the Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Company Affairs.
He was appointed Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Committee on Corporate Governance and Chairman of the SEBI Committee on Insider Trading.
He is a member of the National Council of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Apex Advisory Council of the Associated Chambers of Commerce, and the Centre for Corporate Governance’s Advisory Council.
He served as a member of the Reserve Bank of India’s Central Board of Directors. He also joined the Asian Regional Advisory Board of London Business School and the Corporate Advisory Board of The Economic Times.
Kumar’s Major Opera
As Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, one of his most notable contributions is the radical changes he instituted throughout the organization. Over the years, he altered business tactics, professionalized the entire group, and accelerated the expansion of the organization.
As a philanthropist, he is actively involved in welfare-driven activities that have a significant impact on the quality of life of the disadvantaged in various nations, including India, Thailand, and Egypt.
Awards & Achievements
In 2003, he was named The Economic Times’ Business Leader of the Year and Business India’s Businessman of the Year.
In 2005, he was named “Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young in India.”
In 2007, he was named NDTV’s “Global Indian Leader of the Year” and Outlook business magazine’s “Most Socially Responsible Leader.”
AIMA presented him with the JRD Tata Corporate Leadership Award in 2008. In the same year, Amity International Business School honored him with “The Corporate Role Model Award.”
The Bombay Management Association bestowed upon him the “Entrepreneur of the Decade Award” in 2009.
In 2010, he was recognized as the “CNN-IBN Indian of the Year – Business.” The All India Management Association named him “Business Leader of the Year” in the same year.
He was named “Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum, “Business Visionary” by NITIE, and “Management Man of the Year” by the Bombay Management Association.
The Banaras Hindu University additionally bestowed upon him the D. Litt (Honoris Causa) degree. He was awarded The Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) by the G. D. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, in recognition of his significant contributions to the field of business administration.
Personal History and Legacy
He wed Neerja Kasliwal, a full-time housewife who has no business aspirations. The couple has three kids: Ananyashree, Advaitesha, and Aryaman Vikram.
Estimated Net Worth
An Indian industrialist with a net worth of $9.4 billion is Kumar Birla. Kumar Birla, who was born in India on June 14, 1967, is the Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, one of the largest conglomerates in India. Additionally, he serves as the Chancellor of the Birla Institute of Technology and Science.