Top Industrialist, philanthropist one of the devotees of the Great saint Shree Neeb Karori Baba, and vocal supporter of Hindu philosophy.
Jugal Kishore Birla is a person of considerable action.
He started his business career at an early age, joining his father Baldeodas Birla in Calcutta and soon came to be known as reputed trader and speculator in opium, silver, spice and other trades from which Birlas later diversified into trading of jute and other items like cotton during and after World War I, by which time his younger brother Ghanshyam Das Birla had also joined the business. The family firm, which was till 1918 was run as Baldeodas Jugalkishore, was made into limited company known as Birla Brothers Limited.
Although Jugal Kishore started his business life from Calcutta, later he shifted to Delhi and lived in Birla House till his death.
PHILANTHROPIST
Jugal Kishore Birla was a Hindu activist and donated monies to various Hindu organisations of India like Hindu Mahasabha and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh at the same time supporting finances of Mahatma Gandhi and Indian National Congress and India’s freedom movement, which were looked after together by Ghanshaymdas Birla and others.
In 1920 he along with his brother Ghanshaym Das donated funds to start girls school under their private trust a school named Marwari Balika Vidyalaya, which has now grown into the noted Shri Shikshayatan School and Shri Shikshayatan College.
He spent much of his personal wealth in building Hindu temples known as Birla Temples and dharamshalas across major metropolitan towns of India and promotion of schools and universities and hospitals. and adopting many villages in times of famine and natural disasters.
In his old age, he took the leading role to fulfill the unfinished dream of Madan Mohan Malaviya of building Krishna Janmabhoomi Kesava Deo Temple. He donated a major sum and formed a private trust in 1951 to which the rights of land were later transferred, and temple works begin to be inaugurated in 1965, for which he is fondly remembered by believers of Hindu religion. In his old age he also donated initial funds for building of Vivekananda Rock Memorial and also arranged for further funds for the project from his brothers, the construction of which, however, began several years after his death.
Jugal Kishore Birla – Some interesting and less-known facts
1. Seth Shobharam, grandson of Seth Bhudharmal, who lived in the early 19th century, was the first one from Birla family who got into trade and business. He was a local trader. It was his son, Seth Shiv Narayana (Jugal’s grandfather) in the second half of 19th century who ventured business outside their hometown Pilani, now a part of Rajasthan. Birla industrial family flourished since then.
2. Shiv Narayana Birla, the first member of illustrious Birla family had money lending business who built Birla Haveli. He got into cotton business, which flourished in the second half of 1950s.
3. His father Baldeo Das Birla was an adopted member to the Birla family, who inherited family property and business and later expanded business plans.
4. His grand-niece Shobhana Bhartia, a media personality associated with news media business of the Birla family is the only female member to join family business, against family traditions with the support of her father Krishna Kumar Birla.
5. Sarla Birla and Rajashree Birla are other prominent female members of Birla family who got married to his nephew Basant Kumar Birla and his grand-nephew Aditya Vikram Birla respectively.
6. Madhav Prasad Birla, Krishna Kumar Birla, Basant Kumar Birla and Ganga Prasad Birla are his nephews, all linked with business.
7. Aditya Vikram Birla and Chandrakanth Birla are his grand-nephews while Yashovardhan Birla, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Aryaman Birla and Ananya Birla are other prominent members of the family.
8. Aryaman Birla and Ananya Birla – children of business tycoon Kumar Mangalam Birla are the latest members of the family, belonging to 7th generation, known as a cricketer and singer respectively.
9. Mahatma Gandhi was staying in his home at the time of his assassination in 1948. He has been staying at Birla house for his last three months. The family had close relation with Gandhi and Congress.
10. He was a great follower of Mahatma Gandhi and donated funds for political and charity reasons.
11. He donated fund for constructing Vivekananda Rock Memorial. But the memorial was built many years after his death.
