Vijay Mallya
Vijay Mallya (born on December 18, 1955 in Calcutta, West Bengal, India) is an industrialist and a second-time member of India's parliament. He is the chairman of the UB Group – one of India's largest conglomerates, with diverse interests in brewing, distilling, aviation, pharmaceuticals, real estate, engineering, fertilizers, biotechnology and information technology.
He is the son of industrialist Vittal Mallya. He took over as the chairman of the company at the age of 28 after his father's sudden demise in 1983.
Early life
Mallya did his schooling from La Martiniere, Calcutta and graduated with a Bachelor in Commerce degree from St. Xavier's College, Kolkata. During his days in college, Mallya was interning in his family businesses. After he graduated, he went off to intern with American Hoechst in the United States. He is conferred with Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (Honoris Causa) by Southern California University, Irvine, U.S.A.
Businesses
UB Group
At the time of his father's death, Mallya was unanimously elected Chairman of United Breweries. As part of his modernisation bid, he consolidated the various companies under one umbrella group called the "UB Group", spun off non-core and loss-making businesses and focused on the core business of beverage alcohol. Kingfisher beer controls more than 50 per cent market share of India's beer market. The beer is available in 52 countries outside India and leads the way among Indian beers in the international market. United Spirits Ltd, the flagship of the UB Group, has achieved the historic milestone of selling 114 million cases, becoming the largest spirits company in the world by volume.
Kingfisher Airlines
Kingfisher Airlines which is almost seven years old is unable to pay salaries to its employees for past several months and is on the verge of going bankrupt. Now the airlines has officially been asked to vacate premises and received eviction notices for defaulting on rent payments on a Mumbai property since November 2011.
Sports
Mallya personally and the UB Group as a whole have vast sporting interests internationally as well as in India. He is the first Indian ever to own a Formula One Team. He is the Team Principal and co-owner of Sahara Force India Formula 1 which is also India’s first-ever Formula One Team and represents India's first, truly global sports foray. Mallya has been an avid motor racing enthusiast since he was a teenager. He has taken part in several Track Racing Events in India in the 1970s and 80s. Winner of the Sholavaram Grand Prix 1980/81 and Calcutta Grand Prix in 1979. Has also participated in several Classic Rallies in Europe. He is a member of the World Motor sports Council of the FIA and chairman of the Federation of Motor Sports Council of India.In 2008, the UB Group bid and acquired Royal Challengers Bangalore, an IPL team which has been in the finals and semi-finals of the tournament in the last four years. The company also owns the country’s two premium football teams Kingfisher East Bengal and McDowell Mohun Bagan.
Mallya, who owns the historic Kunigal stud farm, is also a breeder and owner of race horses. His horses have won every single major horse race in the country. He is a keen sportsman, an ardent aviator and yachtsman of distinction.
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