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<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}<br />
{{infobox person<br />
| name = Sarala Birla<br />
| image = Sarala_Birla_0079.JPG<br />
| image_size =<br />
| caption = Sarla Birla<br />
| birth_name =<br />
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1923|11|23}}<br />
| birth_place = [[Kuchaman City|Kuchhaman]], [[Rajasthan]], India<br />
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2015|3|28|1923|11|23|df=y}}<br />
| death_place = [[New Delhi]], India<br />
| nationality = Indian<br />
| citizenship =<br />
| other_names =<br />
| known_for = Educationist<br />
| spouse = [[Basant Kumar Birla]]<br />
| children =<br />
| father = [[Brajlal Biyani]]<br />
| relations = <br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Sarala Birla''' (23 November 1923 – 28 March 2015)<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/sarala-birla-passes-away/article7044629.ece | title=Sarala Birla passes away | newspaper=The Hindu | date=29 March 2015 | accessdate=28 June 2018 }}</ref> was an Indian Businesswoman prominent member of the [[Birla family]] of Indian industrialists. She took interest in public education and, along with her husband, is credited with having co-founded about 45 educational institutions supported by her family's conglomerate.<br />
<br />
==Biography==<br />
Sarala Birla was born into a traditional [[Marwari people|Marwadi]] Hindu family, the daughter of [[Gandhianism|Gandhian]] educationist and freedom fighter [[Brijlal Biyani]] and his wife Savitri Devi Biyani. She was born in [[Kuchaman City|Kuchaman]], [[Rajasthan]], at the residence of her maternal grandmother. Her family hailed from [[Rajasthan]], but her father had settled in [[Akola]], [[Maharashtra]], and it was in Akola that Sarla grew up. She studied in a local government school, and the medium of instruction was [[Marathi language|Marathi]]. She grew fluent in that language, as also in her mother tongue, [[Marwari language|the Marwadi dialect]] of Hindi. English was taught at the school beginning from class six, and Sarla also learned the standard register of the Hindi language at this time. Sarla grew up amid a number of spoken languages, and this made it easy for her to pick up new tongues. At a very advanced age, she made a determination to learn French, a totally new language, and she did pick up a reasonable smattering of that language.<br />
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In April 1941, she married [[Basant Kumar Birla]], the son of [[GD Birla]], after having been introduced to each other by [[Jamnalal Bajaj]] and [[Mahatma Gandhi]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/book-review/storyoneindias-prominent-business-families-_267930.html |title=Story of India's prominent family }}</ref><br />
Sarla Birla eventually after this marriage became the matriarch of a large family. They are sometimes referred to as the "first couple of Birla empire".<ref>[http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/unfolding-the-fascinating-story-of-birlas/article2437958.ece Unfolding the fascinating story of Birlas, Basant Kumar and Sarala Birla: Life Has No Full Stops released in Delhi, 9 September 2011]</ref> They had a son, [[Aditya Vikram Birla]]. Her only son [[Aditya Vikram Birla]] died early in 1995, and later the grandmother of [[Kumar Mangalam Birla]].<br />
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==Philanthropy==<br />
[[File:Raja Ravi Varma, Menaka and Sakunthala (1891).jpg|thumbnail|right| Raja Ravi Varma, Menaka and Sakunthala (1891), Birla Academy of Art and Culture in Kolkata]]<br />
She had made notable contributions through her social and institutional activities and took an active part in their working. She had been associated as governor, [[trustee]], or otherwise by establishing the following institutions:<br />
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*[[Birla Institute of Technology and Science]], [[Pilani]]<br />
*[[BK Birla Institute of Engineering & Technology, Pilani]]<br />
*[[BK Birla College of Arts, Science & Commerce, Kalyan]]<br />
*[[BK Birla Public School, Kalyan]]<br />
*[[Mahadevi Birla World Academy]]<br />
*Mahadevi Birla Shishu Vihar<br />
*Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Calcutta<br />
*Swar Sangam, Calcutta<br />
*Sangit Kala Mandir, Calcutta<br />
*Sangit Kala Mandir Trust, Calcutta<br />
*Birla Bharati, Calcutta<br />
<br />
Her collection of Indian art, including that on display at the Birla Academy of Art and Culture in Kolkata, ranks amongst India's notable private collections. The Sangit Kala Mandir, besides the [[Birla Academy of Art and Culture]], were both set up by the couple.<ref>[http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-sarala-birla-wife-of-bk-birla-passes-away-2072687 Sarala Birla, Wife of BK Birla, passes away, DNA India, 28 March 2015 ]</ref><br />
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==Life==<br />
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Sarala was born the daughter of [[Brijlal Biyani]], a freedom fighter and [[Indian National Congress|Congress Party]] worker in an unusually progressive family that even 70 years ago believed that girls must be educated. Their marriage was an [[Arranged marriage|arranged match]] made by their parents, facilitated by [[Jamnalal Bajaj]] and [[Mahatma Gandhi]].<ref>[http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/book-review/storyoneindias-prominent-business-families-_267930.html Story of one of India's prominent business families, 5 March 2007, MoneyControl]</ref> Sarala recalled:<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6KNLrws_-g The Story Of Basant And Sarala Birla, Aaj Tak, 5 April 2015 ]</ref><br />
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: "I was studying in Pune, Ferguson College, and I got a message that I have to go to [[Mumbai|Bombay]], to Birla house, to see the boy. I went there, I was there for one night and there were so many boys there, I did not know who was who; I stayed there and I came back. After two-three months, I got a call from [[Mahatma Gandhi|Gandhiji]] and my father-in-law telling me to come to [[Wardha]]. I went there from [[Pune]] and father ([[Ghanshyam Das Birla]]) asked me, 'you have seen Basant and you have not yet replied whether you are ready to marry him or not.' I said, 'No, there were eight-ten boys, so I didn't know who was who.' Then I said that I won't marry a boy unless I see him and I know who he is. Gandhiji said, 'she is perfectly right,' and then he said that we will arrange a meeting between you-you please come again. So I said, 'when I have my holidays, only then will I come.' [[Ghanshyam Das Birla|Father]] was so nice, he said, 'alright.' So, when I had my holidays, I went, and we met on November 8."<br />
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Basant Kumar Birla agrees, "I told my colleagues, I am interested in a girl who was educated and as she was educated - even without seeing her, I had approved her."<br />
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Sarala was often at husband's side for 73 years. She was 91 years old, but it was a familiar sight to see her holding her husband's hand during family functions, and accompanying him to the annual general meetings of various group companies.<ref>[http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/sarala-birla-a-businessman's-wife-who-won-hearts-with-her-humanity/articleshow/46741619.cms Sarala Birla A businessman's wife, who won hearts with her humanity, ET Bureau, 30 March 2015 ]</ref><br />
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On 28 March 2015, she was in Delhi to attend a function marking the 121st anniversary of [[GD Birla]]. She was injured in a minor accident involving her wheelchair and the lift ([[elevator]]) and died as a result of old-age related heart failure. She was 91.<ref>{{Cite web|date=28 March 2015|title=सरला बिड़ला की संदिग्ध परिस्थिति में मौत|url=https://www.jagran.com/delhi/new-delhi-city-12210482.html|url-status=live|access-date=|website=Dainik Jagran|language=hi}}</ref><br />
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==See also==<br />
* [[Birla Family]]<br />
* [[Sarala Birla Academy]]<br />
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==References==<br />
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{{reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6KNLrws_-g The Story Of Basant And Sarala Birla, Aaj Tak, 5 April 2015 ]<br />
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNmKhuYPC7M The XII Science Assembly, Sarala Birla Academy, 20 June 2013]<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Birla, Sarla}}<br />
[[Category:Rajasthani people]]<br />
[[Category:1923 births]]<br />
[[Category:Founders of Indian schools and colleges]]<br />
[[Category:Indian women philanthropists]]<br />
[[Category:2015 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Birla family|Sarla]]<br />
[[Category:Indian women educational theorists]]<br />
[[Category:People from Nagaur district]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian women scientists]]<br />
[[Category:People from Kolkata]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian educational theorists]]<br />
[[Category:Women scientists from West Bengal]]<br />
[[Category:Women educators from West Bengal]]<br />
[[Category:Educators from West Bengal]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century women educators]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian philanthropists]]</div>imported>$ufyan