Founder of the Kirloskar Group

Laxmanrao Kashinath Kirloskar (1869-1956) was an Indian businessman. He was the founder of the Kirloskar Group. He was born on 20th June, 1869, in a small village, Gurlahosur in Belgaum District.

Laxmanrao Kashinath Kirloskar started his life as a school teacher but in 1888, he set up his first venture - a small bicycle repair shop at Belgaum. The road on which he started the shop, is today named as Kirloskar Road. Strongly believing that agricultural implements must fit the milieu they are used in, he manufactured iron ploughs, the first Kirloskar products.

He had read about industrial townships in Europe and America where the owners of industries had built communities for the employees. His dream was to build his own industry and community for his employees; he realized this dream with Kirloskarwadi, a place where he started the Kirloskar Brothers Limited factory in 1910.