Shantanu Lakshman Kirloskar 1926
Shantanu Lakshman Kirloskar '26 was born on May 28, 1902 and attended primary school in Kirloskarvadi, a small village in Maharashtra, where his father had founded Kirloskar Brothers in 1888. The village was gifted to his family by the ruler of the princely state Aundh.
Kirloskar attended the Chauncy Hall School in Waltham, Massachusetts before enrolling at MIT, where he studied Mechanical Engineering. While at the Institute, Kirloskar joined an optional military training program in artillery and was made a Reserve Officer of the United States Army.
Shantanu Lakshman Kirloskar Mechanical Engineering Class 1926
Shantanu Lakshman Kirloskar, Senior Porfolio, 1926
Kirloskar as a cadet in 1926 Courtesy of Vikram Kirloskar
After graduating, Kirloskar returned to India and went on to expand Kirloskar Brothers into one of India's largest companies, manufacturing engineering equipment such as diesel engines. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of India's highest civilian awards, in 1965 for his contribution to trade and industry. He also served as the first President of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC).
Shantanu Kirloskar arrived at MIT with his older counsin, Madhav Kirloskar. Madhav had already graduated with a B.Sc. degree in Physics and Chemistry at the time. He was interested in MIT’s Co-operative Electrical Engineering Course, which gave students hands-on experience in partnership with General Electric. On January 26th, 1922, the two cousins set off from Bombay on a steamer heading to the United States. Upon arrival at the Institute, Madhav changed his degree to a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering because the Co-operative Electrical Engineering Course was only open to US citizens. He was a member of the Cosmopolitan Club, a student-run organization which promoted the idea of “world citizenship” and mutual support among international students. He also played tennis and was a member of the Massachusetts Union of Hindustanis. In 1924, Madhav got very sick with a critical case of tuberculosis. He was admitted to a sanatorium in Rutland, MA, where he eventually passed away by the end of 1924. His cousin Shantanu arranged for his remains to be returned to India.
Report on Madhav Kirloskar's death, The Tech, 1924
Madhav Kirloskar Courtesy of Vikram Kirloskar