Ghanshyam Das Birla

A man’s true worth is only known when he is gone. Birla was also a man whose real worth dawned on us when he was no more around. His critics and detractors must at least now be fair enough to late G.D. Birla and admit that he was a man of exceptional business talent who […]

During the rein of Indira Gandhi the traumatic political events he went through forced him to take leave of the public and professional life. Even upto 1980 barbs kept targeting him. His personal and business methods were again and again got scrutinised and faults dug out. When Birla entered 81st year of age W. Bengal

On May 27, 1964 Jawaharlal Nehru passed away and Lal Bahadur Shastri succeeded him. It was a happy news for Birla because Shastri valued native culture like he did. Shastri was the product of Kashi Vidyapeeth (Later day Benaras Hindu University) in the upgradation of which to a famed university Birla family had made huge

The country was on way to gain the overdue freedom. European businessmen knew their game was over and they would have to leave India. They started winding up their works and selling. The native industrialists had golden chance to aquire companies. In this respect Birlas were the biggest gainers. They bought a number of enterprises

After the death of Patel Jawaharlal Nehru became an undisputed leader of the nation. Clearly for Congress and the country Nehru era had begun. In this era the relations between Nehru and Birla remained cold. G.D. Birla had Hinduist bend of mind while Jawaharlal was fierce advocate of secularism. For Nehru the family background of

Upto the time of independence the multifaceted personality of Birla has been presented to the readers. The post-independence period was a bit different. He had already become an iconic figure and an industrial tycoon, a philanthropist, man of charity and a funding associate of political big wigs. And the greatest factor was that he had

On August 15, 1947 India became independent. Prime Minister Nehru addressed the nation from the rampart of the Red Fort. Mahatma Gandhi could not reach Delhi. The communal riots had anguished him. He had to come to Delhi as the city was in the grip of communal tension and refugees from Pakistan were pouring into

It was very unfortunate that Muslim League had demanded Pakistan, a separate country for Muslims. With time the demand became shriller. Efforts were made to persuade Muslim leaders to give up the demand but it did not work. The British had not agreed to the freedom for India on their own will. They had to

In the later half of the decade of the thirties of last century (20th) clouds of war hung over Europe. It was inevitable that the Allies were going to a decisive war against Hitler’s Germany and its friends. In those circumstance G.D. Birla wrote a letter to then British prime minister Winston Churchill—’If our prayers

As a member of a joint family G.D. fulfilled several duties expected of him. His elder brother Jugal Kishor alias J.K. was ten years senior to him. He respected him like a father. There were several differences but G.D. always managed to overcome them by relenting or persuading. The following incidents prove our point :❑

When Birlas had established themselves in trade and the industry some rules were set to induct the boys of the family in the Business Group establishments. The boys had to follow those rules before getting accepted formally. After simple school education a boy had to work in some venture of the group as an apprentice

In everyman’s life there comes a difficult period. In G.D. Birla’s life the decade after the death of his wife Mahadevi constitutes that period. He was sad and saddled with the problem of the bringing up of motherless young children aged 2 to 10. At the administrative level Britain was bringing about changes in its

Forty springs Birla had seen when the tides of 1934 began. He had become an iconic figure in riches. Due to the connections with the political leaders he had gained an image of a nationalist. Through Gandhiji he came into contact with other leaders like Rajaji, Rajendra Prasad and Sardar Patel. He had gained political

1911 and following period was that of a succession of transfers of business from one hand to another. The young generation gradually took over the reins. After the death of Shivnarain and retirement of Baldeodas the sons of the latter were running the business. Between 1911 and 1930 the business activities of the family diversified

G.D. Birla was born on April 11, 1894, the auspicious Ramnavami day. The grandfather Shivnarain presided over the naming ceremony. The new born was later to become a famous name G.D. Birla, the most familiar symbol of riches in India. At the time of his birth, the father Baldeodas and the grandfather Shivnarain had become