THE chairman of India's Aditya Birla Group, Kumar Mangalam Birla, has been awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science (Economics) degree by the University of London as part of its annual Foundation Day ceremony.
Birla was one of five people recognised during the event at Senate House in London on Wednesday (19). The honours were presented by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, who serves as the University’s chancellor.
Birla leads the Aditya Birla Group, a century-old Indian multinational that operates in 41 countries across six continents. The company has revenues of about $67 billion (£51bn) and a market value of more than $110bn (£84.1bn).
He represents the sixth generation of the Birla family, whose legacy includes his great-grandfather G.D. Birla, a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi during India’s independence movement.
Birla’s impact on industry and society has earned him top honours, including India’s prestigious Padma Bhushan.
He is the chancellor of BITS Pilani and has previously chaired the boards of IIM Ahmedabad and IIT Delhi. He also sits on the Governing Board of the London Business School, where he funded a £15 million scholarship programme, one of the largest of its kind in Europe.
The University of London said the award recognised his contributions to industry, philanthropy and education. The Chair of the Board of Trustees, Kavita Reddi, said his work had improved “millions of lives” and reflected the institution’s core values.
Birla said, “It is a particular privilege to accept a storied honour presented by Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne, The Princess Royal. As an alumnus of the London Business School, I have witnessed first-hand the university’s remarkable ability to transform ambition into achievement. My family has long believed that education is the most enduring engine of progress, capable of widening opportunity and reshaping communities.
"To be recognised by an institution that embodies those values and continues to equip new generations to take on an unpredictable world is both moving and motivating.”
The other recipients included Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, vice-chancellor of the University of the West Indies; Sir Terry Waite, known for his humanitarian work; Susannah Schofield MBE, founder of the John Schofield Trust; and The Reverend Philip Goff, an expert on academic dress.
David Lammy
