‘A visionary industrialist who worshipped Bhimsen Joshi.’ Air Deccan founder Capt Gopinath mourns ‘complete man’ Vikram Kirloskar

“A complete man - visionary industrialist, warm, humane, connoisseur of Hindustani Classical music, he worshipped Bhimsen Joshi, family man and cherished friendships. He single handedly transformed B’lr into a automobile hub.”

This is how aviation stalwart and Air Deccan founder Captain G R Gopinath remembered auto doyen Vikram S Kirloksar who has been credited with redefining the country’s automotive industry. The Vice Chairperson of Toyota Kirloskar Motor died of a heart attack on Tuesday night in Mumbai.
Gopinath was not alone in effusive praise for the 64-year-old who brought the Japanese carmaker Toyota's business to the country. Several prominent India Inc leaders expressed their condolences at the death of Kirloskar, who has been hailed as the face behind Toyota's legacy in India.

Anish Shah, the MD & CEO of Mahindra Group which competes with Toyota Kirloskar Motor in the passenger vehicle segment, it was a sad moment. The business leader hailed Kirloskar as a “pioneer of the Indian automotive industry.”

For many others, the loss seemed personal as they posted pictures with the business magnate, and shared anecdotes of their association over the years.

A Tall Legacy
Kirloskar, born in November 1958, was the fourth generation of the Kirloskar family which has been in the business for over 130 years. The tycoon's grandfather, Shantanurao Laxmanrao Kirloskar, is credited for spearleading the company which was established in 1888 and taking it to new heights by achieving one of the highest growth rates the country has ever witnessed.

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As a child, Kirloskar was enrolled in The Lawrence School, Lovedale, Ooty, where he was exposed to model aeroplanes, aero modelling and sculpting.

Son of Shreekant Kirloskar, he joined the family business right after completing college. Following in his grandfather's footsteps, Kirloskar went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

When he joined the family business, he was involved in many projects such as opening the import licensing for capital equipment in the late 1980s while serving on the government's Development Council for Machine Tools.

Kirloskar lived in Bengaluru with his wife Geetanjali Kirloskar. Apart from his wife, the businessman is also survived by his daughter, Manasi Kirloskar, who is married to Neville Tata, son of Noel Tata.