His humanitarian approach and untiring efforts were responsible for setting up the Bombay Hospital in 1950 with a 440-bed capacity. Later in 1972, a 13-storey Medical Research Centre was added with all specialties in the medical field, and equipped with the most sophisticated equipment, and with a bed strength of over 200, making a total of about 680 beds, of which almost one-third are free.

As a businessman, he was well known for his integrity and acumen. He built a masterpiece of a temple in ancient architectural style at Kalyan, open to every one, irrespective of caste or creed.

To the social and cultural life of the city of Bombay, Shri R. D. Birla gave the magnificent and spacious Birla Mathushri Sabhagar in memory of his mother and the Birla Kreeda Kendra, at Chowpatty Sea face, in memory of his father.

In addition, Shri Rameshwardasji set up hospitals at Pilani, Calcutta and other centers along with charitable dispensaries. He passed away on April 21, 1973 at the ripe old age of 82 years.

A man is judged not by what he earns but what he gives to society. Shri M. P. Babu will be remembered as a great philanthropist rather than as a leading and eminent industrialist. Totally devoid of ego, and instinctively averse to self-advertisement, he gave profusely and generously to charitable causes spread over the length and breadth of country, including the birth place of Adi Sankaracharya. He gave to it the Birla Planetarium, one of the finest in Asia and the Belle Vue Clinic & Nursing Home, one of the best equipped medical institutions in that part of the country. Recently he established the M. P. Birla Foundation in fulfillment of his deep commitment to furthering progress in the fields of education and medicine. The Foundation has also set up and operates a modern 60-bedded hospital at Birlapur in West Bengal, with a second hospital operating, at Satna in Madhya Pradesh. Shri. M. P. Birla was also intimately associated with the famous Birla Institute of Technology & Science at Pilani.

The Bombay Hospital enjoyed a very special place in his heart. He liberally gave crores of rupees to this great Institution and even though, during the last five or six years, he had been keeping indifferent health, he took keen interest in the working of the Hospital and made frequent inquiries about the quality of treatment, more particularly to the poor and needy. He was responsible in no small measure, for the growth and development of the Hospital, set up by his illustrious father Shri Rameshwardasji Birla, into a 830 bedded Hospital, one of the largest and best equipped in the country.

A perceptive devotee of the India's priceless cultural and religious heritage, he started, the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, with which he was closely associated, Sarva Dharma Pratisthan, for repairing and renovating countless place of workship in various States.

In private life he was shy and self-effacing and a man of simple habits with few needs-a man who earned in order to spend it for worthy causes. Indeed, he imbibed the great message of the Upanishads that wealth should be enjoyed, by giving it generously. He was a man of unparallel managerial skill and almost unlimited capacity for hard work. Shy and self-effacing to a fault, he was visibly embarrassed if any of the numerous beneficiaries of his kindness and generosity, expressed their gratitude for what he had done for them.

Babuji's passion for social, civic and educational activities became manifest at an early stage of his life, during which he founded numerous schools, colleges, dispensaries and charitable institutions, to foster education, and provide medical relief to the poor and the needy. He was a multi-facetted personality, covering diverse fields like education, industry, social welfare and religion. He was a member of the First Rajya Sabha from Bombay, for six years from 1952-1958, and was one of the most widely respected industrialists in the country, whose advice and guidance was regularly sought on all matters concerning industry and finance.

He was the leader of the Jain community, and in recognition of his services to the community, he was honoured with the titles of "SHRIYANS ABHINAV" and "SAMAJ SHIROMANI" and was also awarded the "TAMRA PATRA" for the devotion and continues services, not only to Jains but to the public at large. A few years before his sad demise he was conferred the title of "SHRAVAK SHIROMANI", the highest title of the community. In 1988, Babuji was decorated with the prestigious award of Padma Bhushan, for his manifold services to society.

He was a Trustee of the Bombay Trust, ever since its inception, and on the demise of the founder Chairman, Shri Rameshwardasji Birla in 1973, the mantle of Chairmanship of the Bombay Hospital Trust, fell on his capable shoulders. He built on the edifice raised by Shri Rameshwardasji Birla, and was in no small measure, responsible for the Hospital becoming one of the premier medical institutions in the country. In his association with the affairs of the Hospital, he brought to bear his usual thoroughness and passion for detail. There was no aspect of the running of the hospital that he was not conversant with, and amazed everyone as to how, inspite of his multifarious and diverse activities, compounded by his delicate health, he still found the time and the energy, to go deep into matters concerning the Hospital. He was always willing to lend a patient ear to doctors officials and others connected with the Hospital, who came to him for advice and guidance, and endeared himself to everyone who came in contact with him, with his humility, gentleness and innate goodness.