Made Here Now is very sorry to hear of the death of Lord Bhattacharyya at the age of 78. Kumar Bhattacharyya was chairman and founder of Warwick Manufacturing Group and a member of the Made Here Now advisory board. He was a great advocate for UK manufacturing and a staunch supporter of the Made Here Now project. A Labour peer, Bhattacharyya advised a succession of governments and companies and made a contribution to UK life that will be impossible to replicate.
Bhattacharyya came to the UK in 1961 to start an apprenticeship with Lucas Industries, then a big maker of automotive parts in the West Midlands. In 1980 he started WMG and set out to make it a novel sort of research and development enterprise, bridging the gap between academic institutions and industry. Part of Warwick University, WMG is now one of the world's biggest centres for applied research with a strong international influence, especially in India and China.
Prof David Mullins, acting head of WMG, said: “It has been a great honour and privilege to have worked so closely with Professor Lord Bhattacharyya for over 20 years. At this sad time, we are all focused on growing the amazing organisation for research, education and impact that he created for national and international benefit.”
