Tributes paid to GD Birla on birth anniversary

Rich tributes were paid to late Ghanshyam Das Birla, doyen of Indian industry, on his birth anniversary on April 3, reports HT Correspondent.

Rich tributes were paid to late Ghanshyam Das Birla, doyen of Indian industry, on his birth anniversary on April 3.

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The Sri Ghanshyam Das Birla Samaroh Samiti organised a function in New Delhi which was attended by leading intellectuals and social workers.

“Shri Birla laid the foundations of what the Indian industry is today. He founded Ficci; this is why he is regarded the founding father of the Indian industry,” Ashok Jalan, Samiti president, said.

Birla, who was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi, made a major contribution to India’s freedom struggle, committee’s office-bearer Prem Prakash Shah said. “It was Shri Birla who first addressed Gandhiji as Bapu,” he said.

Committee vice-president Manohar Gupta recalled Birla’s contribution to education. “BITS, Pilani is considered one of the top educational institutions of the world. He dreamt of seeing this institution better Oxford and Cambridge,” he said.

“His contribution to the religious field cannot be forgotten. The Birla Mandirs in Delhi, Bhopal, Mathura, Kurukshetra, Patna, Kolkata… stand a testimony to this. The Ghanta Ghar at Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar is his gift,” committee vice-president Naresh Chand Maheshwari said.