Lesser known facts about Vijay Mallya: The beleaguered businessman/ fugitive

Vijay Mallya is the only son of Vittal Mallya (a Konkani Goud Saraswat Brahmin from Bantwal, Karnataka) and Lalitha Ramaiah. His father, Vittal Mallya was the Chairman of United Breweries Group.

He was educated at La Martinière Calcutta and at St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree (with honours) in 1976. While in college, Mallya interned in his family’s businesses. After graduating, he interned at the American part of Hoechst AG in the United States.

He became the Chairman of United Breweries Group in 1983 at the age of 28, following his father’s death. Since then, the group grew into a multi-national conglomerate of over 60 companies, with an annual turnover which increased by 64% over 15 years to US$11 billion in 1998–1999. He consolidated the various companies under an umbrella group called the ‘UB Group’, spun off non-core and loss-making businesses and focused on the core business of alcoholic beverages. Over the years, he has diversified and acquired Berger Paints, Best and Crompton in 1988; Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilisers in 1990; The Asian Age newspaper and the publisher of film magazine, and Cine Blitz, a Bollywood magazine in 2001.

United’s Kingfisher beer has more than a 50% market share in India’s beer market. The beer is available in 52 countries outside India and leads among Indian beers in the international market. United Spirits Ltd, the flagship company of the UB Group, achieved the historic milestone of selling 10 crore (100 million) cases, becoming the second-largest spirits company in the world by volume under Vijay Mallya’s chairmanship. In 2012, Mallya ceded management control of United Spirits Limited to global spirits giant Diageo, although he retained a minority stake in the business. In February 2015 Mallya was forced to resign as Chairman of United Spirits, and he contracted to receive a $75 million severance payment as part of that deal, but the courts in India have blocked that payment.

Mallya is said to be a devout Hindu who prays everyday and also holds the 42-day sabarimala fast donning only black clothes. He’s said to have vicited Sabarimala over 20 times walking the 10km stretch like all other pilgrims before climbing the 18 steps for a darshan of the deity. Mallya apparently donated towards gold-plating the roof of the sanctum sanctorum. This offering initially attracted criticism, but the Kerala High Court finally allowed him to donate 32kg of gold and 1,900kg of copper to gold-plate the temple roof. The exercise reportedly cost him Rs 18 crore. Mallya is also an ardent follower of Shri Shri Ravinshanker and The Art of Living Foundation.

Vijay Mallya has been married twice before. His first wife was Sameera Tyabjee, was an Air India flight attendant. Together, they have a son named Sidhartha ‘Sid’ Mallya. They eventually got divorced but he claims that he shares a ‘great equation’ with his first wife.

Mallya’s second wife Rekha was his childhood sweetheart and his neighbour in Bangalore. Rekha was married twice before, and had two children from her second marriage– Laila and Kabir. After marrying Rekha, Mallya adopted her daughter Laila as his own. Though now divorced, together Mallya and Rekha have two daughters of their own — Leana and Tanya. Not much is known about them except that they are settled abroad with their mother.

Mallya’s oldest son Sidharta, after graduating from university, spent a year working for drinks giant Diageo, as an assistant brand manager on Guinness. At the beginning of 2010, he became director of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) IPL cricket team, which is owned by UB Group (his father’s company). Since the time his father has been embroiled in financial crisis, Sidhartha shifted his focus and pursued a career in acting.

Kingfisher Airlines, established in 2005, was a major business venture launched by Mallya. It eventually became insolvent and had to be closed down. As of October 2013, it had not paid salaries to its employees for 15 months, had lost its licence to operate as an airline, and owed more than US$1 billion in bank loans. By November 2015 the amount owed to the banks had grown to at least $1.35 billion, and there were other debts owed for taxes and to numerous small creditors. As part of the Kingfisher collapse, Mallya is accused of being a ‘willful defaulter’ under Indian law, including accusations of money laundering, misappropriation, etc.

In September 2007, the BCCI announced the establishment of the Indian Premier League, a Twenty20 competition to be started in 2008. The teams for the competition, representing 8 different cities of India, including Bangalore, were put up on auction in Mumbai on 20 February 2008. The Bangalore franchise was purchased by Vijay Mallya, who paid US$111.6 million for it. This was the second highest bid for a team, next only to Reliance Industries’ bid of US$111.9 million for the Mumbai Indians. In light of financial scandals involving owner/chairman Vijay Mallya, Amrit Thomas became the chairman of the Royal Challengers.

Mallya co-owned the Formula One team Sahara Force India from 2007 to 2018. In the middle of the 2018 F1 season, Sahara Force India went into administration due to financial trouble. In August 2018 the team’s assets were purchased by Racing Point F1 Team, and continued to race under the Force India name for the remainder of the 2018 season.

From yatchs to villas, Mallya lost several of his properties and assets after being named a wilful defaulter. The sea-facing villa located in Goa’s Candolim beach valued to be Rs 90 crore was sold at Rs 73 crore to actor Sachiin Joshi. It has been a venue for many lavish parties featuring celebrities and business moguls. In 2006 Mallya bought The Indian Empress, the 33rd largest private yacht in the world. His car collection included a Rolls Royce Ghost among other cars like Jaguar XJ220, Jaguar XJR15 Race car, Ferrari 1965 California Spyder.

Mallya was named in the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers, leaked confidential documents relating to offshore investment.

Mallya has received several professional awards both in India and overseas including the following: Honorary degree of Doctorate of Philosophy in Business Administration, by the Southern California University for Professional Studies (1997); ‘Officier de la Légion d’Honneur’, a high award of recognition in France; ‘Global leader for tomorrow’, World Economic Forum; ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ award at The Asian Awards (2010).

In May, 2018, the 62-year-old businessman announced that he is planning on marrying his current partner Pinky Lalwani (38 years) who was ‘always by his side in all his ups and downs’. Vijay Mallya met Lalwani in 2011 when he offered her a job as an air hostess in Kingfisher Airlines. They gradually became friends which turned into love. The two were often spotted together at various events and were reportedly in a live-in relationship, ever since they started dating. The couple was reported to be staying together in Mallya’s mansion in Hertfordshire, near London.

Previously a member of the Akhila Bharata Janata Dal, Mallya joined the Subramanian Swamy-led Janata Party in 2003 and was its National Working President until 2010. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha as independent member twice from his home state of Karnataka, first in 2002 with the support of the Janata Dal (Secular) and Indian National Congress and then in 2010 with the support of the Janata Dal (Secular) and BJP.

On 2 May 2016, Vijay Mallya resigned from his post as a Rajya Sabha MP, a week after the Rajya Sabha ethics panel declared that he should no longer be a member of the House and one day before the panel was set to meet again to recommend his expulsion. He had left India during this time and his passport had been revoked.