Lunkaran Das Chaudhary, founder chairman of Chaudhary Group and father of billionaire Binod Chaudhary, died on Thursday. He was 93.

Born in Makhan Tole, Kathmandu, he took over the business at the age of 23, after the demise of his father Bhuramull Chaudhary. He started jute exports to USA and Europe.

He also imported fabrics from Japan and Korea under the name of Bhuramull Lunkaran and Arun Impex.

Lunkaran Das carved a niche for himself in fabric trade and this encouraged him to start Arum Emporium in 1968—the first and the largest modern departmental arcade in Nepal with individual departments for ladies, gents, electronic and household goods.

He then began setting up a series of industries and companies under Chaudhary Group.

He soon diversified and established a construction company under the name of United Builders, the foremost construction company of Nepal at that time.

Some of the prestigious projects undertaken by him were Jor Ganesh Press at Balaju, the first phase of Soaltee Hotel, Janakpur Cigarette Factory and the road from Kathmandu to Trishuli.

Today, Chaudhary Group has over 40 companies and an investment outlay of over $1billion. He is survived by three sons and a daughter.