L. M. Thapar
Lalit Mohan Thapar | |
---|---|
Born | 27 October 1930 |
Died | 17 January 2007 New Delhi, India | (aged 76)
Nationality | Indian |
Father | Karam Chand Thapar (father) |
Relatives | Gautam Thapar (nephew) |
Lalit Mohan Thapar (27 October 1930 – 17 January 2007), often referred to by his initials LMT, headed the LM Thapar Group of companies. He was born to Karam Chand Thapar, the founder of the Thapar Group of companies that owned industrial powerhouses such as Crompton Greaves, BILT and JCT Mills. Inder Mohan Thapar, Brij Mohan Thapar and Man Mohan Thapar are his brothers.[1]
He was educated at The Doon School.[2] He graduated in engineering from the University of Southern California, USA. He became chairman of Ballarpur Industries Limited in 1962.[3] He died of cardiac and renal failure in New Delhi on 17 January 2007.
Group
The Thapar Group was established by Lala Karam Chand Thapar. After his death in 1963, his third son, L.M. Thapar, took over the Group, which then included the Oriental Bank of Commerce, as well as Oriental Insurance. Both these companies were subsequently nationalised. Other Group companies and concerns in India are or were The Pioneer, Greaves Cotton, JCT Mills, JCT Electronics, Crompton Greaves and Ballarpur Industries. Until the early 1980s, the Thapar Group was one of the top ten Indian business houses.
With the division of the Thapar family assets, L.M. Thapar inherited, among other companies, BILT. Today, BILT is run by his nephew, Gautam Thapar, under the Avantha Group.
Personal life
Single and a resident of New Delhi's upmarket Amrita Shergill Marg, Thapar was fond of the good life and was known for being charming and polished. He was an avid art collector, with an impressive personal gallery of some of the finest works of art. His bon vivant persona was highlighted in most of his obituaries.[4]
In 2005, he handed over the reins of his business empire to his nephew Gautam (son of Brij Mohan Thapar), leaving his voting rights, shares and most of his personal effects to Gautam in his will. Thapar died on 17 January 2007 from cardiac and renal failure at a hospital in New Delhi.[5] His remains were cremated the following day at the Lodhi Cremation Ground in Delhi.[6]
References
- ^ "Thapar rejig in final lap", The Economic Times, 14 April 2006
- ^ "How the most influential alumni network in India Inc works", The Economic Times, 5 November 2010 Archived 19 December 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "BILT Board of Directors: Mr L M Thapar – Chairman
- ^ See, for example, [1] [permanent dead link]
- ^ "Industrialist L M Thapar dead". Rediff.com. 18 January 2007. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
- ^ "L.M. Thapar cremated". The Hindu. 19 January 2007. Retrieved 19 February 2018.