The former chairman of Mahindra & Mahindra Group of companies, and the uncle of Anand Mahindra passed away on Wednesday at the age of 99 in Mumbai.

Keshub Mahindra had served as the chairman of the conglomerate from 1963 to 2012. He was also known as India’s oldest billionaire.

Born in 1923, Keshub Mahindra had graduated from Wharton in 1947, the year in which India gained independence. He returned home to join the eponymous company founded by his father K C Mahindra and uncle J C Mahindra.

During the 48 years of his chairmanship, the Mahindra group had grown from simply a manufacturer of automobiles to a federation of companies operating in a wide range of businesses including automobiles, tractors, auto components, IT, real estate, financial services and hospitality.

After his retirement in August 2012, Keshub Mahindra’s nephew Anand Mahindra took over the company. He joined the board of the company in 1948 and was elected as chairman in 1963.

Following his demise, Anand Mahindra took to Twitter to share a picture with a caption which read, “A Century of uncompromising Integrity and Values. We will not stray from that path. Om Shanti.”