Thaindian News

London, Oct 4 (IANS) The body of Birla Corporation Chairman Rajendra Singh Lodha, who died here Friday, is likely to be flown back to India Monday, family and company sources said.Little is known about the circumstances of Lodha’s sudden death, although his younger son Harsh Lodha has spoken of the possibility of a heart attack.

Lodha, 66, was said to have been in London for business meetings along with Harsh Lodha and other members of his family.

Indian diplomats in London said they were expecting the Lodha family to get in touch with them in order to facilitate the release of the body.

“Nobody has approached us yet and nothing much moves at the weekend. The body may leave on Monday,” an official said.

Lodha got embroiled in a major controversy when former chairperson of the Birla Corporation Priyamvada Birla bequeathed the entire assets of the M.P. Birla Group to him.

Priyamvada Birla’s demise in July 2004 was followed by intense litigation after Lodha applied for the probate of a purported will which itself became a matter of dispute. Senior members of the Birla clan had filed appeals in the Calcutta High Court.

However, Lodha took over as chairman of the Birla Corporation. He was also serving on the boards of the National Securities Depository, Indian Petrochemicals Corporation, SBI Life Insurance and Henkel India. He was a trustee of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Britain.