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Kumar Mangalam Birla honoured by London Business School
PTI - Mumbai

Kumar Mangalam Birla was recently conferred the title of ‘Honorary Fellow’ by the London Business School (LBS) at its summer congregation in London.

The award was presented to Mr Birla by LBS chairman, Vanni Treeves, an A V Birla group release said here.

The LBS fellowship is awarded to an alumnus with an outstanding record of achievement in his chosen field, it said adding Mr Birla had graduated from the institution in the year 1992.

PTI adds: Basant Kumar Birla has said he would continue to work and not retire as his daughters and grandson Kumarmangalam Birla want him to continue.

“Kumarmangalam wants me to continue as I am perfectly alright and attending office from 8:45 am to 4:00 pm, so as of now there is no plan for retirement and appoint a successor,” Mr B K Birla told reporters here.

He was speaking after attending the annual general meeting of Century Enka. It was earlier reported that B K Birla would appoint his grandson Kumarmangalam Birla, son of late Aditya Vardhan Birla, on the board of the company provided Dutch collaborator Accordis has no objection.

Asked whether Kumarmangalam would come on the board of any of the companies run by him, B K Birla said “When Aditya was alive, I had offered to retire and asked him to take over, but he said that the question did not arise.”

“You are perfectly alright and attending office regularly, so why you should think of retirement?” Aditya had then asked, Basant Birla said.

“And now grandson Kumarmangalam too is suggesting on the same old line,” he said.

Moreover, Kumarmangalam is so overburdened with his own companies that he it would not be wise to burden him with additional responsibilities, Basant Birla said.

“Kumarmangalam comes to office at 9:00 am and works till late in the evening. So how can I appoint him my successor.”