The Success Story of Baba N Kalyani
Introduction of Babasaheb
Baba N Kalyani is an Indian business magnate and was a chairman & Managing Director of Bharat Forge Limited (BFL), the flagship of the $3 billion Kalyani group. The company Bharat Forges is best known for making auto parts and manufacturing components for sectors such as aerospace and defence. A leading engineering conglomerate headquarter at Pune, Kalyani group has a joint venture with global MNCs like Meritor USA, Maxion Wheels, Brazil; Elbit System, and Rafael Advanced Defense System from Israel. Baba N Kalyani has a net worth is $2.7B, which makes him India’s 67th and world’s 1152nd richest person. Apart from these, he owns a football team called Bharat Forges.
Early life and education
Baba Kalyani (Baba Neelkanth Kaylan) was born on 7 January in a Lingayat family. His father’s name is Mr. Neelkanth Kalyan and his mother Mrs. Sulochana.
His father was an automotive component maker and Pune-based technocrat. Baba Kalyani was a sharp mind since childhood; when he was 14, he started car driving and owned the modest Fiat 1100.
As far as his education is concerned, Baba N Kalyani finished his high school from Rashtriya Military School Belgium, formerly the King George’s Royal Indian Military School. After completing higher secondary, he took admission to Birla Institute of Technology & Science to pursue B.E. (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering and, subsequently, got his Master of Science from MIT, Boston, the USA in the year 1972.
Early Career of Babasaheb
After completing his master’s, Baba Kalyani embarked on his career with his father founded the company – Bharat Forge in 1966, way back in 1972. When he was joining his father’s company, the annual turnover was only $1.3 million. But under his strong entrepreneurial drive, the company started elevating and soon recognized as a category leader in global automotive and industrial landscapes. With just an auto components manufacturer, the company diversified into many other sectors like Steel, chemicals, infrastructure, Oil and gas, rail, marine, renewable energy, and more.
After having the end-to-end capability and manufacturing all across India, the company started enjoying a global presence. Mr. Kalyani initiated the export of automobile components from India to China. He spearheads the business operations of Bharat Forge heralding it to new heights of success.
With manufacturing factories spread across India, the USA, Germany, Sweden, and France, the company has a global workforce of over 10,000 high skilled engineers, and has an annual turnover of over $3.0 billion. Bharat forgings is today widely recognized as the world’s second-largest forgings company with the largest repository of metallurgical knowledge in the region, and the capability to supply modern high-tech components to almost every OEM across Automotive, Oil & Gas, Railway, Marine, Mining, and Aerospace.
It is said that every second truck in North America has BFL automotive components etched with the “Made in India” brand, showing the company’s true capabilities.
Babasaheb added another feather to his cap when he took over the France-based firm Mechanique General Langroise, which manufactures composite for the oil and gas sector. His foray into the ammunition sector has proved to be profitable.
One of his biggest bets has been in the defense; apart from supplying forgings to the industry, they have diversified into Artillery, tanks, and infantry equipment. Kalyani group has been enhancing capabilities of the highest standards to be at the forefront of realizing the government’s resolve to develop a strong defense industrial base in the country. Kalyani group has set up a modern Artillery manufacturing plant at Pune and is committed to setting up advanced manufacturing facilities for Missiles, Armored Vehicles, Small Arms, and Ammunition.
Some of his good work toward humanity
- Baba Kalyani instituted Kenersys Limited to contribute to a clean and emission-free environment and has its wind turbines in Maharashtra, which generate green energy.
- Babasaheb is the founder of Pratham Pune Education Foundation, an NGO that offers primary education to those children who belong to underprivileged sections of the local community.
Recognition
- He got Padma Bhushan for his contribution to trade and industry.
- He was declared Commander First Class of the Royal Order of the Polar Star by the Swedish Government for promoting trade and business cooperation between Sweden and India.
- Baba Kalyani was awarded the global price 2009 for business by the Kiel Institute and the German Businessman of the Year 2006.
- In 2005, he was titled Entrepreneur of the year 2005 for Manufacturing.
