Vijay Mallya, an Indian businessman and former politician, is currently facing charges of financial crimes and is residing in the UK. The Indian government is making efforts to extradite him. Known as the “King of Good Times,” Mallya is renowned for his extravagant lifestyle. He is the chairman of the ‘United Breweries Group’ and the former chairman of ‘United Spirits Ltd.’ Despite his successful career, Mallya’s life took a turn in 2012 when he was accused of multiple financial frauds. In 2016, he left India and moved to Britain, citing his desire to be close to his family. However, he is now facing legal action from Indian banks for money laundering. Despite the accusations, Mallya denies any wrongdoing and claims that the allegations against him are fabricated.
Quick Facts
- Indian Celebrities Born In December
- Also Known As: Vijay Vittal Mallya
- Age: 68 Years, 68 Year Old Males
- Family:
- Spouse/Ex-: Rekha Mallya (m. 1993), Sameera Tyabjee
- Father: Vittal Mallya
- Mother: Lalitha Ramaiah
- Children: Laila Mallya, Leanna Mallya, Siddharth Mallya, Tanya Mallya
- Born Country: India
- Aviation
- Indian Men
- Height: 5’7″ (170 cm), 5’7″ Males
- Political ideology: Independent politician
- Notable Alumni: St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
- City: Kolkata, India
- Founder/Co-Founder: Kingfisher Airlines
- Education: St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
Childhood & Early Life
Vijay Mallya was born on December 18, 1955, in Kolkata, India, into an affluent business family. His father, Vittal Mallya, was the chairman of the ‘United Breweries Group.’ Vijay completed his school and college education in Kolkata, attending ‘La Martiniere College’ and ‘St. Xavier’s College.’ During his time in school, he displayed leadership skills and was appointed as the captain of ‘Hastings House’ at ‘La Martiniere.’
Career
After completing his education, Vijay Mallya interned at his family’s businesses and later moved to the US to intern at the chemical company ‘Hoechst AG.’ He returned to India to join his father’s business. In 1983, at the age of 28, Vijay took over as the chairman of the ‘United Breweries Group.’ Under his leadership, the company achieved great success and became a conglomerate of more than 60 companies. The company’s focus on alcoholic beverages contributed to its success. Vijay also acquired other companies and brands, such as ‘Best and Crompton,’ ‘Berger Paints,’ ‘The Asian Age,’ and ‘Cine Blitz.’ He became one of the most talked-about businessmen in India during the 80s and 90s.
Vijay Mallya launched ‘Kingfisher’ beer in the late 70s, which became the highest-selling Indian beer brand and achieved success internationally. ‘United Spirits Ltd.,’ the prime company of the ‘UB Group,’ also experienced success and became the second-largest spirits company in the world. In 2012, Vijay transferred the managerial control of the company to ‘Diageo’ but retained a minority stake.
In 2005, Vijay Mallya founded ‘Kingfisher Airlines,’ which initially achieved success by providing world-class facilities to commuters. However, the acquisition of ‘Air Deccan’ led to major losses for the company, resulting in its eventual shutdown in 2009. Mallya’s companies also own the ‘Royal Challengers Bangalore’ team in the Indian Premier League and the ‘Force India’ Formula One team. He also owns the football teams ‘Mohun Bagan AC’ and the ‘East Bengal Football Club.’
Political Career
Vijay Mallya has been politically active and was associated with the ‘Akhil Bharata Janata Dal’ before joining the ‘Janata Party’ in 2003. He served as the party president for 7 years until 2010. In 2002, he contested elections as an independent candidate from Karnataka and won. He later switched to the ‘Bharatiya Janata Party’ and won again in 2010. However, in 2016, he stepped down from his ‘Rajya Sabha MP’ post after accusations of fraudulent dealings and money laundering surfaced.
Controversies
In 2016, Vijay Mallya left India and settled in Britain, citing the desire to be closer to his family. He was accused by 17 Indian banks of not repaying loans amounting to more than INR 9000 crores. Investigations by the ‘Central Bureau of Investigation’ and the ‘Income Tax Department’ revealed charges of money laundering and financial frauds. Mallya’s assets spread across the world were found to be more valuable than the debt he owed to Indian banks. His passport was revoked, and he was arrested in the UK in 2017 over a money-laundering case. He was later released on bail.
Personal Life
Vijay Mallya married Sameera Tyabjee, a former ‘Air India’ air-hostess, in 1986. They had a son named Siddharth Mallya but divorced a year later. In 1993, he married his childhood friend Rekha, with whom he has two daughters. Mallya is known for his religious beliefs and conducts the 42-day ‘Sabarimala’ fast every year. He is also a close friend and follower of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of the ‘Art of Living Foundation.’