Vikram Kirloskar (November 19, 1958 – November 29, 2022) was an Indian businessman and industrialist[1] who served as the Vice Chairman of Toyota Kirloskar Motor. He was a fourth generation member of the Kirloskar business family and is credited with bringing Toyota's business to India in the late 1990s.[2][3]
He died on November 29, 2022, at the age of 64, due to a heart attack.[4]
In the 1990s, Vikram was key in bringing Toyota's business to India. He initiated a partnership between Toyota and the Kirloskar Group, which led to the establishment of Toyota Kirloskar Motor in 1997.[3] Over the next two decades, Toyota Kirloskar Motor launched successful models like the Qualis, Innova, Fortuner and Corolla in India.[5][3]
He served as President of the Central Manufacturing Institute in Bengaluru and was a member of the Government of India's Development Council for Automobiles and the National Council for Electric Mobility.[5]
Vikram Kirloskar lived in Bengaluru with his wife Geetanjali Kirloskar. They have a daughter named Manasi Tata, who is married to Neville Tata, the son of Noel Tata.
Vikram was a wine connoisseur with a large collection of wines. He also loved cooking and described it as his favourite hobby.[5]
In 2021 he was elected a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) and affiliated with its Engineering Section III (Mechanical Engineering).[11] He was posthumously awarded the India Business Leader Award by CNBC-TV18 in 2023.[12]