G P Birla, noted industrialist and the second most eldest member of the Birla clan, passed away after a brief illness in Kolkata on Friday evening. Birla, 86, was younger to his cousin B K Birla, who is now 90. His father, late B M Birla, was the founder of the GP-CK Birla group which has interests in automobiles, bearings, earthmoving, power transmission equipment, cement, fan, IT and consumer durables among others.