Industry captains, businessmen and politicians from across Kolkata came to ‘Goenka Niwas’ to pay their condolences to R.P. Goenka.
Fondly known as the “takeover king”, the Goenka household has been chock-a-block with guests since this morning when news of RP’s death was made public.
RP’s elder son Harshvardhan had been in the city over the last few days.
Other guests who came in since the early hours were S.K. Birla, Harsh Neotia and his wife Madhu, Sumit Mazumder of TIL, Aditya Khaitan, Gaurav Swarup and his wife Alka Bangaur, C.K. Dhanuka of Dhunseri Petrochem and Rajiv Mundhra of Simplex, amongst others.
Apart from the Birlas, some of the top business families of the city who were present there included the Lodhas — Harshvardhan and his brother Aditya; Khaitans — Deepak and his son Amritangshu; Jhawars (of Usha Martin) — Rajiv Jhawar and Bajorias — Shisir, were also present.
S.K. Birla however refused to make any comment on RP.
According to Harsh Neotia, Chairman, Ambuja Neotia group, RPG was a statesman with sound business advice. He had sought to revive an ailing economy with successful takeovers.
”He was called takeover king and he came in at a time to acquire ailing business houses and later on successfully revive them,” Neotia said.
Amongst the politicians who were present included State Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim and Commerce and Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee. TMC MPs Derek O Brien and Srinjoy Bose also came to the Goenka residence to pay their condolences.
Hakim also brought in a floral wreath and condolence messages from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
”Its a great loss. RPG was a luminary and an industrialist par excellence. He was like a father figure who will be greatly missed,” Chatterjee told presspersons gathered outside the Goenka residence.
The Birla group patriarch, Basant Kumar and his wife Sarala Birla in a statement said: "We are extremely grieved to learn of the sad demise of Sri R.P. Goenka.
"Our association with Shri Rama babu goes back to several decades. He was a very close family friend of ours. Shri Rama babu was an exceptionally intelligent and a highly successful personality. In his death, not only Bengal, but India has lost one of its prominent sons.
"Our heartfelt condolences to Smt. Sushila Devi (wife of RPG), and other family members and our prayers to God to rest his soul in everlasting peace."