Dr. Babasaheb Neelkanth Kalyani is the Chairman of Automotive Axles Limited, the flagship company of the Kalyani Group. Dr. Kalyani holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering from BITS Pilani and a Master of Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA.
Dr. Kalyani plays a pivotal role in shaping India’s industrial and economic landscape.
Committed to strong governance and corporate responsibility, Dr. Kalyani chairs the Stakeholders’ Relationship Committee. His leadership ensures the company’s adherence to the highest standards of corporate governance, sustainability, and stakeholder engagement.
As on 31st March 2025, Dr. Kalyani holds directorships at Automotive Axles Limited, Bharat Forge Limited, Kalyani Steels Limited, BF Utilities Limited, Meritor HVS (India) Limited, Kalyani Maxion Wheels Private Limited and Maxion Wheels Aluminum India Private Limited.
Awards and Recognitions
Dr. Kalyani has been widely recognized for his outstanding contributions to industry, innovation, and economic development, receiving numerous prestigious accolades from across the globe. He was honored with the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award for his exceptional service to the industry. His global influence has been acknowledged with distinguished honors, including the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star from Japan, the Cross of the Order of Merit from Germany, the Commander First Class of the Royal Order of Polar Star from Sweden, and the Knight in the Order of the Legion of Honour from France, one of the country’s highest distinctions awarded to foreign nationals. Recognized for his contributions to technological advancement and industrial excellence, he has been conferred with an Honorary Doctorate of Science (Honoris Causa) from Deakin University, Australia, and IIT Kharagpur, India among few others. Further solidifying his leadership in the manufacturing and technology sectors, Dr. Kalyani was recently awarded the Arjan Vaswani Founders’ Leadership Award 2025 at the 73rd Indian Foundry Congress & IFEX 2025, as well as the Industry Science Leader 2025 by FAST India, celebrating his visionary role in driving industrial transformation and innovation.