The man who helped save Jaguar Land Rover in the fallout of the 2008 financial crisis, has died due to complications from a short illness.
Lord Sushanta Kumar Bhattacharyya, arguably the most influential Bengali peer in the UK and Chair of the Warwick University’s manufacturing research centre, has died at 78.
Born in Dhaka, in 1940 and then shifted to Bangalore when India was still a British Colony, the 21-year-old mechanical engineering graduate from IIT Kharagpur first moved to Birmingham, UK in 1961. Over the years, he assumed various titles of a visionary academic, and was even called a “true pioneer” by former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Jaguar Land Rover said in a statement- “Lord Bhattacharyya was a remarkable and inspirational man who played a significant role in the UK manufacturing and engineering over the past 50 years.”
Tributes poured in for manufacturing industry titan Bhattacharyya, whose personal friendship with Ratan Tata persuaded Tata to buy the British car company in 2008 for just £1.5bn. Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) also expressed its coundolescense at the sad demise of Padma Bhushan Professor.
“Prof Lord Bhattacharyya was deeply committed to fostering India’s manufacturing excellence. Working on policy development, manufacturing competitiveness and research, he believed in deepening India’s global manufacturing footprint to make the country a leader” said CII in a statement.
In 2016, Prime Minister Theresa May had visited WMG with Chancellor Philip Hammond as part of her government's development of a UK Industrial Strategy. Bhattacharyya’s work as a professor at Warwick University led to foundation on the National Automotive Centre, which has made the city a hub for research in the car industry.
Sir David Normington, Chair of Council and Pro-Chancellor of University of Warwick said-
“He was a force of nature who pushed at boundaries, changed lives, created jobs, and set the standard for how universities should work with industry. Most of all, for so many of us, he was also a kind and generous friend. We shall miss him terribly but here at Warwick he will remain our inspiration for many years to come.
Leader of Coventry City Council, councillor George Duggins, said- “Without him, Coventry would not be the great centre of innovation and manufacturing that it is today.
“His vision and determination have put us right at the heart of the automotive industry of the future.”
While a professor at Warwick from 1980 onwards, Lord Bhattacharyya advised a roll call of Prime Ministers, including Theresa May and secretaries of state on manufacturing.
Warwick’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Stuart Croft said in a statement-
“Professor Lord Bhattacharyya served for four decades at Warwick founding and leading WMG. However his service goes far beyond this University. The achievements of WMG, particularly his own wisdom, passion, and advocacy of the importance of manufacturing, technology, research teaching, and training has helped guide regional, national and international leaders, business figures and policy makers.
Kumar is survived by his Irish wife, Bridie, and, his three daughters, Anita, Tina and Malini.
