Former Tata Sons’ director and a group veteran R K Krishnakumar, and a long-term associate of Ratan Tata, passed away in Mumbai on Sunday, following a heart attack. Born in 1938, he was 84 years old.
A Padma Shri awardee, he held trustee positions at Sir Dorabji Tata and Sir Ratan Tata Trusts, the philanthropic arms through which Tata Sons conducts its philanthropic initiatives. In 2009, Krishna Kumar received Padma Shri for his contributions to the country’s trade and business.
Krishnakumar was born in Thalassery, Kerala, and did his schooling from Madras Christian College Higher Secondary School, Chennai, and later graduated from Loyola College, Chennai. He did his master’s degree from the Presidency College, Chennai, and joined Tata Administrative Services in 1963.
“Krishnakumar was a veteran Tata leader who made enormous contribution to the Tata Group over his lifetime. I had the good fortune of knowing him and what stood out was his deep sense of compassion as a human being. He always wanted to help the less privileged and positively impact their lives. We pray for his departed soul and will sorely miss him,” Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran said.
At Tatas his career started with Tata Industries, and then with Tata Global Beverages in 1965 (formerly Tata Finlay) and later rose through the ranks to become the vice president of South India Plantations in 1982. He was instrumental in Tata Tea’s formation of a joint venture with UK’s Tetley in 1992, and, later, acquired the British company on a £271 million buy-out to become the second largest tea business in the world.
In 1988, Krishnakumar, known in the industry as KK, was promoted as the joint managing director of the company. In 1997, he was moved as the head of the division of Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), the Tata Group company that owns the Taj Group of hotels.
Also Read: Why Bisleri is a good fit for the Tatas
He was appointed on the board of Tata Sons – the investment holding company of Tata Sons in 2002, but joined IHCL back a year later as its vice chairman and managing director. Later in 2007, he joined Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, then in 2009 he joined RNT Associates, the investment company of then chairman Ratan N Tata (now chairman emeritus of Tata Sons).
He also joined Sir Ratan Tata Trust as a trustee and also was on the board of Tata Sons, till his retirement on July 18, 2013, after attaining 75 years of age. KK, who also played an important role in 1997 when ULFA activists held Tata Tea employees hostages and during the 2008 terrorists attacks in Mumbai, when the Taj hotel was under siege. Even after retirement, he continued to be associated with Tata Group through the Tata Trusts.