Tributes pour in for Lord Bhattacharyya who helped save JLR
An academic who brokered the deal that saw Indian group Tata buy Jaguar Land Rover has died aged 78.
Lord Bhattacharyya founded the research institute Warwick Manufacturing Group at the University of Warwick in 1980 and was chairman until his death on Friday, which followed a short illness.
Businessman Paul Bassi, of Stourbridge, a former Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands and High Sheriff of the County of West Midlands, said: “He was one of Birmingham and the West Midlands’ true ambassadors. A great businessman with unrivalled contacts and a pioneer in promoting academic and business links.”
Mayor Andy Street added: “It is incredibly sad news. It is right the West Midlands as a whole reflects on what a huge influence he has been upon our revival.
“Since Tata bought JLR, the company has gone from employing I think 12,000 people to around 35,000 in the West Midlands. So you can genuinely say that Kumar Bhattacharyya has affected the lives of thousands of people across the region.
“He was a mischievous character who lived life to the full, who was always thinking about the next thing. But above all else he was an incredible servant to this community and we all owe him a huge debt of gratitude.”
Advocate
Sushantha Kumar Bhattacharyya, who was born in Dhaka, was an adviser to successive prime ministers and secretaries of state and a tireless advocate for UK manufacturing industry.
He was the first professor of manufacturing in the UK and was highly regarded in the automotive sector for his role in the 2008 deal that saw Tata buy JLR from Ford as it was on the verge of collapsing.
Business Secretary Greg Clark, said: “I am deeply saddened by the death of Professor Lord Bhattacharyya. Kumar has been a heroic figure, helping establish in Britain a world-wide reputation for excellence and innovation in advanced manufacturing.
“Through the WMG, which he founded, and through his extraordinary energy and tenacity Kumar encouraged many firms to locate and expand in Britain. Hundreds of thousands of people in Britain owe their livelihoods to Kumar Bhattacharyya.
“It has been a personal privilege to be able to work so closely with Kumar, who helped inspire our modern Industrial Strategy, and to be his friend. Kumar will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him, and our thoughts are with his wife Bridie, their three daughters Anita, Tina and Malini and their family.”
Lord Bhattacharyya became a Labour peer in 2004.
