Kolkata, March 6 (IANS) Noted industrialist G.P. Birla died late Friday night after a prolonged illness, a source close to the family said here Saturday. He was 86.

"He breathed his last at his Kolkata residence. He is survived by his wife Nirmala, son C.K. Birla and daughter Lekha Poddar," the source told IANS.

His last rites will be performed Saturday at the Keoratala crematorium.

G.P. Birla of the GP-CK Birla Group was the son of late Braj Mohan Birla.

The GP-CK Birla Group has diversified business activities across four continents in both manufacturing and service sectors.

The group's manufacturing activities include automobiles and components, engineering products, building products, industrial chemicals and paper.

The group companies include Orient Paper & Industries Ltd, Hindustan Motors Ltd, Indian Smelting & Refining Co. Ltd, Hyderabad Industries Ltd, B.M. Birla Heart Research Centre, Calcutta Medical Research Institute, Nigeria Engineering Works Ltd, Nigeria, and Pan African Paper Mills (EA) Ltd, Kenya.