Kumar Birla

About Kumar Birla

Commodities king Kumar Birla is the fourth generation head of the storied, $66 billion (revenue) Aditya Birla Group. More than half is generated outside India, where it has a presence in 40 countries.

The group's interests span cement, textiles and aluminium to telecom, financial services and paints. It has recently entered new sectors such as branded jewellery and hospitality.

Birla, who is a chartered accountant and graduated from London Business School, inherited the family empire at age 28 when his father Aditya Birla died in 1995.

In 2021, he stepped down as chairman of debt-strapped telecom firm Vodafone Idea, formed by the 2018 merger between his Idea Cellular and Vodafone India.

In 2023, his daughter Ananya and son Aryaman joined the boards of Grasim and Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail.