Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, has been awarded the Doctor of Science (Economics) degree by the University of London.

The honour, among the most prestigious academic distinctions in the UK, was presented by Princess Anne, Chancellor of the University, during the Foundation Day ceremony held at the Senate House.

Foundation Day is the University of London’s signature annual event, commemorating its Royal Charter of 1836 and celebrating over a century of scholarship and public service. Reflecting on the recognition, Birla said, “As an alumnus of the London Business School, I have witnessed first-hand the university’s remarkable ability to transform ambition into achievement. My family has long believed that education is the most enduring engine of progress, capable of widening opportunity and reshaping communities. To be recognised by an institution that embodies those values and continues to equip new generations to take on an unpredictable world is both moving and motivating.”

As the convener of a federation that includes the London School of Economics, London Business School, King’s College London, SOAS and other leading institutions, the University of London is positioned at the intellectual heart of one of the world’s most distinguished academic ecosystems.