A tremendous loss: Biz barons

In death as in life, Jyoti Basu inspired reverence. Business barons on Sunday fell over themselves to eulogise Basu's greatness and his sense of pragmatism, terming his death a tremendous loss for the state and country.
Significantly, the likes of B K Birla, S K Birla, R P Goenka, Sanjiv Goenka, B M Khaitan, Deepak Khaitan, B K Jhawar, Purnendu Chatterjee, S K Roy, Swati Piramal, Venu Srinivasan, Y C Deveshwar and numerous others also did not fail to make mention of his gentlemanliness and his ability to get along with everybody.
"India will be poorer without Jyoti Basu," said RPG Enterprises chairman emeritus R P Goenka. "Jyoti Basu was a great leader. It is a great loss for the state," business doyen B K Birla concurred.
S K Birla, who chairs the S K Birla Group, termed Basu a towering personality. "He brought stability to Bengal as chief minister," reiterated CESC vice-chairman Sanjiv Goenka. "India has lost a great leader and statesman," ITC chairman Y C Deveshwar said.
Peerless Group MD S K Roy said Basu stood out from the rest because he was acceptable to all sections of society despite his belief in the virtues of the politics he believed in.
Assocham president Swati Piramal said Basu's death has created a vacuum that is unlikely to be filled. "With the passing away of Basu, the nation has lost a visionary and a leader of stature," CII president Venu Srinivasan said.
Williamson Magor chairman B M Khaitan said Basu was a bhadralok and a man of integrity. "It is impossible to describe Jyoti Basu's personality in words and all phrases and adjectives will fall short in portraying his personality. He was a father figure to me," industrialist Kamal Gandhi said.
The Chatterjee Group (TCG) chairman Purnendu Chatterjee said he had invested in Haldia only because of Basu. "He was always there for Haldia Petrochemicals," he added.