C. K. Birla

Chandra Kant Birla, known as C. K. Birla (born 1955), is an Indian industrialist and philanthropist who chairs the CKA Birla Group, formerly the CK Birla Group. Born in Kolkata, he attended La Martiniere for Boys and took a degree in economics at St. Xavier's College, and he learned the business from his grandfather Brij Mohan Birla, whom he regarded as his mentor. He is the chairman of several companies under the group, among them AVTEC, a maker of auto parts, BirlaNu, Neosym, National Engineering Industries (the maker of NBC Bearings), Orient Electric and Orient Paper and Industries, and he sits on the board of Birlasoft. He became chairman of Hindustan Motors in November 1997 and left the chair and the board in December 2013. His public roles include membership of the Commonwealth Business Council and chairing the board of governors of the Birla Institute of Technology in Ranchi. The World Economic Forum named him a Global Leader for Tomorrow.