Shantanu L. Kirloskar (1903-1994) was a visionary who set benchmarks for excellence in the nascent industrial sector in post-independence India.

Hailing    from    Sholapur    in   Maharashtra,    Shantanu completed  his higher education  in the United  States. As a student of Engineering   in the USA, he learnt the essentials of the economics of mass production. Returning to India and joining as an engineer in his father's small production facility in a rural setting, he put his exposure to western work culture to good use. Over the next twenty years he assiduously built up a team of committed professionals who were trained to approach work with a new perspective. A keen observer, he studied the traditional products in the market and went on to introduce newer and better products. With his insight, he could also anticipate the products for future requirements.

Building in quality into his products, entering into some collaborations with overseas partners and making use of the industrial opportunities offered by the Second World War, he made 'Kirloskar' a name to reckon with in the engineering field. By the time of Independence in 1947, the Kirloskar group had four major companies engaged in the production of machine tools, electrical equipments and diesel engines. In free India the Kirloskar group contributed its share to the building of the young nation by undertaking production and supplies to core areas like defence, power generation, oil and gas, railways, transportation etc. S.L. Kirloskar captained the group with elan till 1994, nurturing it to dynamic growth and diversification. The tally of Kirloskar companies added upto 51 in the 1990s, most of them in sectors crucial to the country's development.

S.L. Kirloskar had a thorough grasp of the dynamics of market forces, which became an asset to the Indian Industry when he took over as President of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 1966. A statesman among industrialists, he believed that business houses should also fulfill their social obligations. He was a man of many parts - a music and theatre enthusiast, voracious reader, and philanthropist. He received many awards including a D. Litt from the University of Poona and the Padma Bhushan.

The Department of Posts is happy to issue a postage stamp to mark the birth centenary of S.L. Kirloskar.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India