Sources close to the Birla family said that he was not suffering from any identifiable illness or disease but was depressed ever since his wife, Manorama Devi, had died a month ago.

K K Birla, the eldest son of legendary Ghanshyam Das Birla and Maha Devi, would have turned 90 this October 18. He is survived by his three daughters — Nandini Nopany, Jyotsna Poddar and Shobhana Bhartia. As one of the founders of the Indian sugar industry, KK Birla owned a clutch of sugar mills, India’s largest railway-wagon builder Texmaco, textiles major Sutlej Textiles & Industries, Chambal Fertilisers and the Hindustan Times media house.

Following the news of his death, a steady stream of VIPs and industrialists visited Birla Park, his residence, to pay their last respects. Among them were West Bengal’s Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi and Union Information & Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi.

K K Birla, who had been a Rajya Sabha member for the last 18 years, usually shuttled between Delhi and Kolkata to manage his diverse businesses. He also headed the Birla Institute of Technology & Science at Pilani and Dubai, apart from being a trustee of the Birla Education Trust.

Sanjiv Goenka, Vice-Chairman of RPG Enterprises, said K K Birla’s passing away is a loss not only to the Indian industry but also to the country. “He was the sort of person that legends are made of,” Goenka said.

Y C Deveshwar, Chairman of ITC Ltd, said in a statement: “We have indeed lost a true son of India, whose tireless efforts have benefited many sections of society. His multidimensional contribution as an industrialist, a caring philanthropist, an astute parliamentarian and an eminent scholar leaves behind a rich legacy for many to emulate. Dr Birla’s passing away will leave a deep void in the industrial landscape of the nation.”

Ramesh Maheshwari, Texmaco’s president & CEO who has worked with Birla for the last 50 years, said he had been a very fit and disciplined person and never missed office for a single day.