Kesoram Industries Chairperson Manjushree Khaitan Dies At 68

The B K Birla Group on Thursday announced the death of Manjushree Khaitan, the chairperson of Kesoram Industries Ltd. Khaitan, 68 died in her Kolkata home following a brief illness, leaving behind a legacy of exceptional leadership and philanthropy, group officials said.

Having joined the Kesoram Board in October 1998, Khaitan assumed the role of chairperson in July 2019, following the demise of her father, industrialist B K Birla.

Khaitan's commitment extended beyond the boardroom to the field of education, the group said in a statement.

Her four-decade-long association with the Ashok Hall Group of schools stands as a testament to her dedication to nurturing young minds, with a particular focus on empowering girl children from underprivileged sections of society, group officials said.

Her passing away so early is an irreparable loss to Kesoram and its subsidiaries which had begun to progress well in recent times, it said.

"As a philanthropist, she was never found wanting in personally supporting the cause of those on the fringes of society. She was a huge connoisseur of art and supported a large number of artists through her deep involvement with Birla Academy of Fine Arts," the statement read.

Meanwhile, it is not known about the inheritance of her assets since Khaitan does not have any direct descendants.

In an all-stock deal, Kesoram has decided to hive off its cement business to UltraTech Cement under Kumar Mangalam Birla, grandson of B K Birla. Cement accounts for 94% of total Kesoram revenue.

It remains to be seen who will control the educational institutions.