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Bangalore, India: The Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) launched the Vikram Kirloskar Lecture Series on Green Mobility and Green Fuels in Bengaluru on December 12, 2023. The event saw many notable figures in attendance, including Nitin Gadkari, the Hon’ble Minister of Road Transport and Highways, who delivered an inspiring inaugural address.  “Vikram was the statesman of the auto industry and always supported innovation, new technologies, and green energy. His commitment to ecology and the environment was remarkable. He built 25 green field projects in the auto industry. In the history of the auto industry, particularly in the context of green energy, Vikram's name will be the first to be mentioned, and we will always remember him for that,” said Nitin Gadkari, Hon’ble Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, while delivering the Inaugural CII Vikram Kirloskar Memorial Lecture.  The event also saw Mrs Geetanjali Vikram Kirloskar, Chairperson and Man...

Bangalore, India: Mrs. Geetanjali Vikram Kirloskar, Honorary Consul of Finland in Bangalore, received the Knight First Class of the Order of the Lion of Finland—awarded by the Grand Master of the Order, President of the Republic, Mr. Sauli Niinistö—for 15 years of meritorious service. Geetanjali Vikram Kirloskar took over as Chairperson and Managing Director of Kirloskar Systems after her late husband Vikram's demise. She has worked to strengthen Finland’s ties with Karnataka and runs the Honorary Consul office there. The award was handed over to her by the Finnish Ambassador to India, Ambassador Ritva Koukku-Ronde, who presented the honour and congratulated the Honorary Consul on her years of service and continued support.

When the journey was together By Geetanjali Vikram Kirloskar I can’t believe it’s been one year since Vikram left me. Forever. I can’t believe he is never coming back. Feels like he is in the gym, he will walk in with a smile after - “what’s up?”. And the exchange will start.  Now, there is an uncanny silence. A strange void. You have to go through loss to know the feeling and the state of shock that follows. Then feel life shatter into a million pieces. Grief takes you to the depths of sadness like never before.  It’s been a very hard year. The walk alone is not easy. After 40 years, suddenly in one moment, my life changed. I woke up in the morning to find I was alone, and going to be for the rest of my life.  There were many learnings along the way. Acceptance. When you can’t change your destiny, you can change how you deal with it. So, stay positive. Relook at life. Weigh the options and see how you need to move forward. Most importantly, find a purpose. One that you c...

Bengaluru integrates various mindsets and lifestyles to create a “Bengaluru state of mind” that is ambitious and open to change By Geetanjali Vikram Kirloskar Anyone who has even a passing acquaintance with Bengaluru feels it is a city with a certain je ne sais quoi — an ineffable something that sets the city apart. Is it because it is a city that sits on one of the most ancient land masses in the world? When you climb up Lal Bagh Rock in Bengaluru, you are standing on a 3.6 years-old rock. Is it because since time immemorial, it has been the dwelling of strivers and fighters? A “hero stone” or veera gallu found recently dates back to 750 CE and commemorates the bravery of Hebbal Kittayya. Or is it because today, it is the city known for another form of silicon — the element used in microchips — and has one of the world’s most concentrated populations of techies, leading to the sobriquet ‘Silicon City’? In a few decades, Bengaluru has transformed from a ‘Pensioner’s Paradise’ to ...

By Geetanjali Vikram Kirloskar Rising rural incomes have seen rural consumer markets grow faster than in urban India. Euromonitor Research estimates that rural India accounted for 50% of India's consumer market in 2022. It estimates that this market is growing faster than its urban counterpart across categories. Given India's target of becoming the third-largest economy in this decade, Rural India will need to become a $3 trillion economy. The 2021 Euromonitor International Lifestyles Survey also found the Indian rural consumer to be open to premium products that offer value for money, and is more conscious of the environment than her average urban counterpart. Disclaimer : Photo used for representation purpose only The increasing importance of the rural market accounts for the increased focus of marketers there for product development, advertising, better sales and logistics. For instance, while the fitness market is a high-growth market, the rural and urban contexts differ. B...

Disclaimer : Photo used for representation purpose only By Geetanjali Vikram Kirloskar A Million Mutinies Now, Naipaul wrote about the people’s desire to discover a new way of living while rejecting previous mental constraints. “India was now a country of a million little mutinies. ” Three decades later, the million mutinies have matured into an army of 300 million ambitious, resilient young people eager to upend the status quo and create a new one. Note, too, that in most countries of their residence, NRIs are the ethnic group with the highest income and education levels. Indians also make up a much larger percentage of the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies than their share of the population. If Indians can fight and crack the glass ceiling abroad, they can also overcome the class and caste divide at home. Not only the corporate sector or startups, the streets also reflect the greater confidence of young India. Take the vegetable vendor who has plugged into India’s world-beating digital i...

By Geetanjali Vikram Kirloskar I lost my husband Vikram on November 29. As he breathed his last, I stood numb by his ICU bedside. Our daughter, Manasi, was holding his hand infused with IV. It was sudden, most unexpected. Over the days that followed, there were prayers, and visits from many who shared their experiences and love. Finally, it was over. The condolences and the mourning. Only the grief stayed. Every simple routine activity brought back memories. I decided a week afterwards that I will resume work and take charge of life. But it’s the hardest thing to do. Especially when you have lived 39 years with a man who had so many facets. A brilliant mind. He enjoyed opera, wine, history, manufacturing, geography, sailing. He could passionately work on the shop floor in the day and return home to cook a gourmet meal for his wife and daughter. The day’s recipe, unique to suit the palette of that evening! Vikram built his stature over time. He did not pursue philanthropy as an act of c...