Birla family

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Birla Family

The Birla family is one of the foremost business houses in India. Their businesses vary
from commodities and textiles to automobiles, Information Technology and telecom. The
founder of the Birla Group was Baldeo Das Birla, a member of the successful
Maheshwari Marwari community from Pilani, in the westerly state of Rajasthan. He
moved to Calcutta to set up the family business during the late nineteenth century, and
with it established close ties to the freedom movement of the time.

The Birla's are known for their work and support of the nation during the freedom
struggle, and the family were close friends of Mahatma Gandhi. Even today, the Birla
name is considered synonymous with wealth and power in India.

The prestigious Birla Institute of Technology and Science and Birla Institute of
Technology, Mesra were founded by them.

For_Immediate_Release:

India, Republic of (Press Release) September 16, 2008 --

An iconic leader, Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla who holds several key positions on various
regulatory and professional boards is Chairman of the US$ 28 billion Aditya Birla Group which
is India’s first truly multinational corporation. Mr Birla has served as the chairman of Securities
and Exchange Board of India’s Committee on Corporate Governance, and as chairman of
SEBI’s committee on insider trading. He is on the National Council of the Confederation of
Indian Industry (CII); the Apex Advisory Council of the Associated Chambers of Commerce
and Industry of India, New Delhi and the Advisory Council for the Centre for Corporate
Governance.

Winner of sevearl awards for corporate leadership, Mr Birla who is a chartered accountant,
earned an MBA from the London Business School, where he is also an Honorary Fellow. He
also holds Honorary Doctorate degrees conferred by various Indian universities.

Born in 1967, the 41 year old Kumar Mangalam Birla is undoubtedly one of the youngest
Chancellors of universities in India today.

source: FPR

Well known in the Indian media fraternity for setting new benchmark in the horizon of Indian
media, Ms. Shobhana Bhartia, Chairperson and Editorial Director of India’s leading print media
company HT Media Ltd., is publisher of India today’s top ranking English daily, Hindustan
Times and Hindi daily, Hindustan. She has been the Chairperson of the Press Trust of India
(PTI), the Deputy Chairperson of the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC), and is a member of
the National Institute of Fashion Design, the National Institute of Design (NID), Indian
Newspaper Society and Commonwealth Press Union London.

Her media initiatives such as Mint, a business daily launched in collaboration with the Wall
Street Journal, FM Channel Fever 104 partnering with Virgin radio and daily tabloid Metro Now
as joint venture with Times of India have been making waves all over. 1957 born Smt
Shobana Bhartia is an alumnus of Calcutta University and takes credit for putting Hindustan
Times right on top of web popularity of Indian Newspapers.

With Mr Kumar Mangalam Birla as Chancellor and Smt Shobana Bhartia as Pro Chancellor with
effect from Sep 14, 2008, there is no doubt that for Birla Institute of Technology and Science
(BITS) Pilani there are no dreams too large, no innovation unimaginable and no frontiers
beyond reach

Aditya Birla Group

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Aditya Birla Group
 Type Private Conglomerate/Listed Companies.
Founded 1960s
Headquarters Mumbai, India
Key people Kumar Mangalam Birla (Chairman)
Industry Metals and several others.
Aluminium, Copper, Cement, Fertilizer,
Products
Textile, Fibre, etc.
Revenue ▲ $24 billion
Employees 100,000+
Subsidiaries Several.
Website www.adityabirla.com

The Aditya Birla Group is a multinational corporation based in Mumbai, India with
operations in 25 countries including Thailand, Dubai, Singapore, Myanmar, Laos,
Indonesia, Philippines, Egypt, Canada, Australia, China, USA, UK, Germany, Hungary,
Brazil, Italy, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Vietnam and
Korea.

A US$ 28 billion conglomerate, with a market capitalization of US$ 31.5 billion, over 50
per cent of its revenues flow from its operations across the world[citation needed]. The group is
a major player in all the industry sectors it operates in. The Group has been adjudged the
best employer in India and among the top 20 in Asia by the Hewitt-Economic Times and
Wall Street Journal Study 2007[1]. The origins of the group lie in the conglomerate once
held by one of India's foremost industrialists Mr. Ghanshyam Das Birla. He bequeathed
most of these companies to his grandson, Mr. Aditya Vikram Birla – the father of the
current Chairman of the group, Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla. Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla
is the grandson of Mr. Basant Kumar Birla, who heads his own independent business
conglomerate. Several other members of the Birla Family, own and run their independent
business groups.
Contents

• 1 Businesses
• 2 Non Ferrous Metals
• 3 Cement
• 4 Carbon Black
• 5 Textile Business
• 6 Telecom Services
• 7 Other Businesses
• 8 Philanthropy
• 9 See also
• 10 External links

• 11 References

[edit] Businesses

Aditya Birla is organized into various subsidiaries that operate across different sectors.
Among these are viscose staple fibre, non-ferrous metals, cement, viscose filament yarn,
branded apparel, carbon black, chemicals, Modern retail (under the 'More' brand of
supermarkets, and also under the Trinethra, and Fabmall brands until recently), fertilizers,
sponge iron, insulators, financial services, telecom, BPO and IT services. The Group
consists of four main companies, which operate in various industry sectors through
subsidiaries, joint ventures, etc. These are Hindalco, Grasim, Aditya Birla Nuvo, and
UltraTech Cement.

[edit] Non Ferrous Metals

The groups non-ferrous metals are under Hindalco. It is a dominant player in aluminum
and copper. Its manufacturing locations are primarily in India, and it owns mines in
Australia. On February 11, 2007, the company entered into an agreement to acquire the
Canadian company Novelis for U$6 billion, making the combined entity the world's
largest rolled-aluminium producer. On May 15, 2007, the acquisition was completed with
Novelis shareholders receiving $44.93 per outstanding share of common stock.[2].

Hindalco has also recently acquired Alcan's stake in the Utkal Alumina Project Joint
venture in Orissa, India. Hindalco is a Fortune500 company. Hindalco makes alumina
chemicals, primary aluminum, rolled products, alloy wheels, roofing sheets, wire rods,
cast copper rods, copper cathodes and several other products. But the project has faced
massive protests from locals. On 16 Dec 2001 three tribal people were shot dead because
they were opposed to the project. grasim industries ltd.
[edit] Cement

The Groups cement business is under both Grasim and UltraTech cement. Together the
two companies under the group account for a substantial share of the cement market in
India. UltraTech cement comprises the cement business of L&T which was acquired by
the group. UltraTech announced an increase in sales by 17% and Profit After Tax by 46%
for the quarter ending September 30, 2007.[citation needed]

[edit] Carbon Black

The Group is the fourth largest manufacturer of Carbon Black worldwide. It operates out
of facilities in Egypt, Thailand, India and China. It is a major supplier to several major
automobile tyre manufacturers worldwide.

[edit] Textile Business

The Aditya Birla Group is the world's largest player in the Viscose Staple Fiber industry.
It operates out of India, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and China. It owns the Birla Cellulose
brand. Apart from viscose staple fiber, the group also owns acrylic fiber businesses in
Egypt and Thailand, viscose filament yarn businesses and spinning mills at several
locations all over India and South East Asia.

The group has pulp and plantation interests in Canada and has recently invested in
plantations in Laos The Aditya Birla group is also a major player in the branded garments
market in India. Its subsidiary, Madura Garments, is a major producer of textile fabric as
well as the brand licensee of Louis Phillipe, Van Heusen and Allen Solly in India[citation
needed]
. It operates it's own retail outlets in several cities in India and now planning to go to
into Pakistan as well.

[edit] Telecom Services

Idea Cellular is now owned by Adittya Birla Group itself. Previously Aditya Birla Group
held a 98.3% stake in Idea Cellular, a leading telecom operator in India[citation needed]. Idea
Cellular started off as a joint venture with the group, AT&T and the Tata Group.
However the stakes of the remaining partners was eventually acquired by the group. After
an Initial Public Offering on the Indian Stock Markets, Idea Cellular now accounts for a
third of the group's market capitalization.

[edit] Other Businesses

Apart from the above businesses, the group is a major player in industry sectors like
Insulators, Fertilizers, IT (owning PSI Data Systems Limited), ITeS (owning Transworks
and the Canadian BPO Firm Minacs), Chemicals, Mining, Sponge Iron, Financial
Services (jointly with Sunlife) and more recently, Retail.
[edit] Philanthropy

The Group actively involves itself in several community development initiatives - in

particular around its manufacturing location. The group also supports development
activities in areas like healthcare, education, sustainable livelihood, infrastructure and
social causes. The group's philanthropic activities are guided by Mrs Rajashree Birla.

It works in 3700 villages, reaching out to 7 million people annually through the Aditya
Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development. It runs 45 schools and 18
hospitals. Aditya Birla group has entered into retail in the brand name of MORE.

[edit] See also