Harsh Lodha: New role

Calcutta, Oct. 15: Harsh Vardhan Lodha, the younger son of late Rajendra Singh Lodha, will stake claim to the MP Birla empire.

The expected move by Lodha junior will take place once Calcutta High Court opens after the Puja vacation.

Debanjan Mandal, partner of Fox & Mandal and counsel for the Lodha family, confirmed that Harsh Lodha would seek conversion of his father’s proceedings in the court.

As R. S. Lodha’s son, Harsh is also a beneficiary of the 1999 will of late Priyamvada Birla. The 1999 will had bequeathed the MP Birla assets to R.S. Lodha.

This was challenged by the Birla family. Several court cases are pending since 2004 when R.S. Lodha sought probate of the registered will after the death of Priyamvada Birla.

The 1999 will also mentioned that Harsh Lodha would eventually take over the baton of the MP Birla empire.

According to the will, R.S. Lodha had “expressed desire to ultimately devote more time to philanthropy and public causes in the years ahead, especially once he reaches the age of 65.”

Lodha was 66 when he died of a heart attack in London on October 3 at the residence of Basant Kumar Birla.

In the will, Priyamvada had stated, “It is my keen desire that notwithstanding what has been stated herein above as and when this happens, his son Harsh Vardhan, whom I have been personally grooming since sometime, takes the place of his father in full measure.”

It now remains to be seen whether the conversion of court proceedings from R.S. Lodha to Harsh Vardhan becomes seamless.