Investing in the future

The B.K. Birla Scholars Programme, set up by the Aditya Birla Group at the London Business School, honours the legacy of visionary industrialist Mr. Basant Kumar Birla

Mr. Basant Kumar Birla

The London Business School has announced the new batch of scholars for 2020 and 2021 as part of the on-going B.K. Birla Scholars Programme.

Set up in 2019 to honour the vision and legacy of the visionary industrialist Basant Kumar Birla, the scholarship programme supports the education of 10 full-time MBA candidates at the renowned business school, of which five are selected from India and five from the rest of the world.

Every year, the participants are chosen from the top 5% of the class, and are selected based on academic excellence, as well as leadership potential and a belief in 'the ideals of integrity, dedication and service to humanity', as per B.K. Birla's vision.

Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla
Chairman, Aditya Birla Group

The cohort of scholars announced for 2020 and 2021 comprise 20 aspiring managers, of which 11 are women. The youngsters represent a range of professional backgrounds – from economics and history to computer science and mechanical engineering. As representatives of a global ecosystem, the scholars hail from diverse geographies – India, UK, USA, Singapore, Japan, Argentina and Uruguay.

The B.K. Birla Scholars Programme at the London Business School is a noteworthy instance of the Aditya Birla Group's efforts to support the pursuit of academic excellence by youth around the globe.

Set up with a corpus of £15 million, the endowment marks the largest ever scholarship gifted to a European business school. "It is an incredible gift to be able to honour Mr. B.K. Birla's memory with this prestigious scholars programme," said François Ortalo-Magné, Dean of London Business School, when the scholarship was launched.

Mr. François Ortalo-Magné,
Dean of London Business School

Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman, Aditya Birla Group, is an alumnus of the school, and the endowment cements the family's long association with the institution. When the scholarship was announced, he had stated: "I am extremely proud to honour my grandfather's legacy and create something enduring through this landmark global scholars programme at London Business School. Through this programme, we look to build a diverse and vibrant community of next generation leaders who are committed to the ideals of integrity, dedication and service to humanity."

According to Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla, the scholarship programme reflects his grandfather's generosity of spirit and commitment to supporting the continued growth of emerging business leaders.

A visionary leader, Mr. B.K. Birla (1921-2019) viewed access to higher education as a fundamental right for all. Numerous leading institutions have been influenced by his wisdom and mature guidance, among them the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani, the B.K. Birla Centre of Education in Pune, and the Birla Institute of Management Technology in Delhi. Over 50,000 students study annually in educational institutions established by him.

The Group has taken Mr. B.K. Birla's vision for higher education forward through its own initiatives. In 1999, the Aditya Birla Group Scholarship Programme was set up to support aspiring scholars pursue studies in leading institutions such as the IITs, BITS (Pilani), Indian Institutes of Management, etc. This programme has so far launched 545 Aditya Birla Scholars. In 2021, the BIT School of Management was set up in Mumbai as an incubator for aspiring management graduates.

The establishment of world-class academic institutions along with scholarships that broaden the inclusivity of education are aligned with the Group's vision to empower people and build a better tomorrow.

Commitment to the community has been part of the Aditya Birla Group's ethos since inception. From supporting underprivileged communities to build a better and sustainable way of life, to ensuring education, empowering women, skilling youth, and more – the Group has been walking the talk when it comes to giving back to the community.