Industrialist and agriculturist Neelkanth A. Kalyani, the founder and chairman of the over $2.5 billion Kalyani Group, passed away in Pune on Saturday.
The pioneer of the Indian forging industry, Mr. Kalyani was 87. His last rites were conducted on Sunday. Mr. Kalyani is survived by his wife Sulochana N. Kalyani, his two sons, Baba Kalyani and Gowrishankar Kalyani, and his daughter Sugandha Hiremath.
He was born on August 20, 1926, at Kolhapur in Maharashtra.
After his formal education, he joined his father in the family business of agriculture and subsequently joined the co-operative movement in South Maharashtra. As chairman of the Maharashtra State Co-operative Land Development Bank for 12 years, he was credited with advancing funds to farmers for modernisation and the use of advanced agricultural practices and methods.
He was the recipient of a doctorate in science conferred ‘honoris causa’ by Karnataka University in 1976. He was honoured with the Padmashri in 1991 for his outstanding contribution to the industry and agricultural sectors.