Baba Kalyani
Chairman, Kalyani Group- Kalyani Group
Baba Kalyani's Journey so Far ...
- After completing his school, Babasaheb Neelkanth Kalyani graduated in Mechanical Engineering from BITS Pilani in 1971. He then attended MIT in Boston from where he obtained an MS degree
- He joined the group's flagship Bharat Forge in 1972 and restructured the company in a big way by investing in technology and R&D. He also introduced VRS for unskilled labour, and hired top-grade engineers
- Kalyani's father founded Bharat Forge in 1966 and it is now the world's second-largest forging company with customers like Volkswagen, Rolls Royce and Daimler
- From just an auto components manufacturer, he diversified the group into other sectors of the industry like steel, chemicals, infrastructure, mining, oil and gas, rail, marine and renewable energy
- The group's facilities are now spread across the world in Europe, America and India. When Kalyani took over, the Indian multinational had a turnover of $1.3 million but that changed and it now has revenues of over $2.5 billion
- At the turn of the millennium, Kalyani focused on acquisitions and joint ventures, some notable JVs among them were - Alstom in 2008 for super-critical equipment for power plants; Areva in 2009 for heavy forgings for the power sector.
- One of Kalyani's biggest bets has been in the defence sector; apart from supplying forgings to the industry, the group has diversified into artillery, tanks and infantry equipment
- Today it is one of the largest importers of defence products and has set up facilities in Pune, Hyderabad and Bengaluru
- Taking advantage of the government's Make in India initiative, the conglomerate's Kalyani Strategic Systems formed a joint venture with Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems in 2015 to bid for defence systems of India. The JV bagged a $100 million missile kit order in 2019
Before you go ...
- Baba Kalyani was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government in honour of his contribution to trade and business
- He is a member of numerous business bodies like CII, Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers, World Economic Forum, India-US CEO Forum and Commonwealth Business Council
- He is a philanthropist and set up an NGO named Pratham that provides primary education to underprivileged children
Baba Kalyani News
- Hikal sees an interesting development after feuding Kalyanis, Hiremaths bury the hatchet brieflyFor Hikal, the vote signals continuity and a degree of reconciliation at a time when questions around succession and governance loom large. For the families involved, it marks a moment where corporate priorities prevailed over personal disagreements, ensuring both sides remain active stakeholders in the company’s future.
- Family feud deepens with Baba Kalyani’s son Amit battling for Hikal board seat: ReportA family feud between Baba Kalyani and his sister Sugandha Hiremath intensified as Amit Kalyani faces a crucial reappointment vote at Hikal. Sugandha, opposing Amit's directorship, questions a past share transfer agreement. With shareholder advisory firms split, the outcome hinges on non-promoter votes, potentially reshaping Hikal's board amid ongoing ownership disputes.
- Kalyani family feud escalates: Sugandha Kalyani alleges asset grab by younger brother GaurishankarSugandha Hiremath, sister of Baba Kalyani, has accused her brother Gaurishankar Kalyani of seizing ancestral property in Karad. She claims he used a power of attorney from their late father. This is part of an ongoing legal battle over the Kalyani family assets in Pune court. Sugandha seeks partition of assets, including stakes in Bharat Forge.
- Corporate Kalesh: Top family disputes of India Inc in 2024Family-owned businesses in India are critical to the economy but often face serious inheritance and control disputes. Recent notable family feuds include those among the KK Modi, Oberoi, Kalyani, and Murugappa families, highlighting the challenges of managing multi-generational wealth and maintaining family unity.
- Kalyani Family Dispute: Sugandha Hiremath challenges late mother's wills in courtSugandha Hiremath, sister of Bharat Forge chairman Baba Kalyani, has challenged her late mother's wills in court. She alleges coercion and undue influence by her brothers, Baba and Gaurishankar Kalyani, who are primary beneficiaries. The disputed estate includes significant holdings in Kalyani Group companies and other assets. Hiremath seeks an equal division of the estate among heirs.
- No power of attorney executed in favour of Baba Kalyani by his late mother: Kalyani GroupBaba Kalyani, Chairman of Kalyani Group, has been accused by his brother Gaurishankar Kalyani of coercing their late mother, S N Kalyani, in matters related to her will. The group denies these allegations, stating no power of attorney was executed in Baba Kalyani's favor. The dispute is currently being addressed in the Pune District Court.
- Production of 'new will' gives fresh twist to Kalyani family feudGaurishankar Kalyani has filed an affidavit in Pune Civil Court challenging the execution of his late mother Sulochana Kalyani's 2012 will. He presented a new will dated December 9, 2022, accusing his brother Baba Kalyani of taking control of the family's wealth. The case is set to be heard on October 9, 2024.
- Baba Kalyani rejects claims of nephew, niece seeking family asset partitionBaba Kalyani filed his affidavit on Tuesday, stating that his nephew Sameer and niece Pallavi have no right to file and maintain a suit seeking partition of an alleged Kalyani Family HUF. According to him, the suit is filed by the siblings who by birth are members of the Hiremath family and, therefore, have no right to file and maintain a suit seeking partition of a Kalyani Family HUF.
- Kalyani Group: How a piece of paper triggered brother-sister disputeA family feud within India's Kalyani Group has escalated, with sibling rivalry between Bharat Forge Chairman Baba Kalyani and sister Sugandha Hiremath over control of Hikal. Legal battles, ownership disputes, and boardroom struggles have unfolded, shedding light on the family's complex financial legacy.
- Kalyani family feud deepens: Hiremath siblings move court for share in HUF assetsThe ties between the Hiremaths and Baba Kalyani broke down over control of Kalyani Group company Hikal. The Hiremaths moved the Bombay HC in 2023 alleging that Kalyani wasn't honouring a family arrangement he had reached with his father that pledged to transfer all the Hikal shares to them. Baba Kalyani said the family arrangement of 1994 was just a "note" by his father Neelkanth Kalyani and not a legally binding document. The case is pending in court.
- Ambani, Adani, Birla among India Inc's bigwigs setting sail for Ayodhya's D-DayReliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran and Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani are among India's top business leaders who will be seen at the ceremony with a guest list of more than 10,000. The captains of Indian industry will join the scrum of VVIP arrivals at the small temple town, which will also see achievers from the world of entertainment, sport, politics, faith, public life and the arts.
- In 2023 India Inc. learnt hard lessons on families, friends and partnersIndia Inc 2023: The year 2023 saw significant turmoil within several prominent Indian businesses, including Bharat Forge, Indigo, Raymond Group, and Religare Enterprises. These disputes among family members, friends, and stakeholders shed light on critical issues. It emphasized the necessity for clear succession plans, strategies to shield companies from relationship conflicts, and improved scrutiny of stakeholders. This upheaval serves as a crucial lesson for corporate India, urging the development of better approaches to confront future challenges in a maturing corporate landscape, especially as women in top roles assert their influence.
- Hikal board: Baba Kalyani's birthday may bring not-so-happy gifts for the billionaireBaba Kalyani's reappointment as a director at Hikal is uncertain due to an ownership dispute and his upcoming birthday. His sister, Sugandha Hiremath, who owns 35% of Hikal, is expected to vote against his reappointment. Baba's continuation on the board remains doubtful, which would end his 31-year association with the company.
- Promoters' dispute not to impact company's performance: Hikal"The dispute is between the Hiremath family and BNK family, and there are no monetary claims against the company. The management of the company strongly believes that this dispute between the shareholders, as private parties, is not expected to cause any negative impact or have any contagion effect on the performance and operations of the company," Hikal said in an exchange filing.
- Bharat Forge CMD Baba Kalyani's sister, Sugandha Hiremath accuses him of trying to oust her from chemicals company HikalSugandha Hiremath has accused Kalyani of acquiring a further 58 lakh shares following their mother’s death, contravening a 1994 family agreement to transfer Kalyani’s stake in Hikal to the Hiremaths. Kalyani denies the alleged agreement, claiming the only valid pact was an earlier buyback agreement that offered the Hiremaths a limited ownership option.
- Rolls-Royce Marine North America inks pact with Kalyani Strategic Service for naval marine propulsorsThe pact between Rolls-Royce Marine North America & Kalyani Strategic Service may include, but is not limited to, design and development, licensed manufacturing, pre-sales and sales support; installation, commissioning, testing and aftermarket services and support. Rolls-Royce's propulsion systems are designed to be used in all modern warships and the company is one of the key suppliers to the US Navy, according to the statement.
- Kalyani strategic systems gets howitzer export order worth USD 155 millionKalyani is one of the major investors in the defense sector and has been offering a number of weapon systems to India as well as foreign countries. The company has been working with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to develop the advanced tower artillery gun system (ATAGS) and has also developed an ultra-light howitzer.
- Country needs technology-enabled innovation to drive manufacturing: Bharat Forge CMD"What I mean by technology-driven innovation is ..all Indian companies must own the IPR, the intellectual property right of whatever they are making," he said. "If India doesn't own its own IPR and just remains as a slave manufacturing nation for other countries, we are never going to grow in manufacturing," he said.