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{{Short description|Indian entrepreneur}}
{{Short description|Indian billionaire businessman}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
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==Career==
==Career==
During his time at university, he launched his first business, a [[chit fund]] in [[Kollam]] on reportedly borrowed money.<ref name="Rediff">{{cite web | url=http://www.rediff.com/money/slide-show/slide-show-1-ravi-pillai-amazing-journey-of-ambani-of-the-gulf/20111007.htm#2 | title=Rediff | publisher=Rediff | date=7 October 2011 | access-date=21 December 2014}}</ref> Later, he started an engineering contract business and worked for some of the major industrial houses in Kerala such as [[Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore|Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Limited]], [[Hindustan Newsprint Limited]], and [[Cochin Refineries Limited|Cochin Refineries]].<ref name="Rediff" /> However, a [[labour strike]] forced him to close down his business, after which he went to Saudi Arabia in 1978 where he started a small trading business.<ref name="Rediff 2">{{cite web | url=http://www.rediff.com/money/slide-show/slide-show-1-ravi-pillai-amazing-journey-of-ambani-of-the-gulf/20111007.htm#4 | title=Rediff 2 | publisher=Rediff 2 | date=7 October 2007 | access-date=21 December 2014}}</ref> Two years later, he moved into construction, and established Nasser S. Al Hajri Corporation (NSH) with 150 employees,<ref name="Rediff 2" /> which has over the years grown to become the flagship company of his business group,<ref name="Kollam City" /><ref name="Rediff 2" /> RP Group, which is known to employ over 70,000 employees across its businesses.<ref name="Arabian Business">{{cite web | url=http://www.arabianbusiness.com/100-most-powerful-indians-in-gulf-475970.html?itemid=475809 | title=Arabian Business | publisher=Arabian Business | date=2014 | access-date=21 December 2014}}</ref> The shopping mall in South Kerala, [[RP Mall, Kollam|RP Mall]] at [[Kollam]] city is owned by Pillai.{{citation needed|date=January 2014}}
During his time at university, he launched his first business, a [[chit fund]] in [[Kollam]] on reportedly borrowed money.<ref name="Rediff">{{cite web | url=http://www.rediff.com/money/slide-show/slide-show-1-ravi-pillai-amazing-journey-of-ambani-of-the-gulf/20111007.htm#2 | title=Rediff | publisher=Rediff | date=7 October 2011 | access-date=21 December 2014}}</ref> Later, he started an engineering contract business and worked for some of the major industrial houses in Kerala such as [[Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore|Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Limited]], [[Hindustan Newsprint Limited]], and [[Cochin Refineries Limited|Cochin Refineries]].<ref name="Rediff" /> However, a [[labour strike]] forced him to close down his business, after which he went to Saudi Arabia in 1978 where he started a small trading business.<ref name="Rediff 2">{{cite web | url=http://www.rediff.com/money/slide-show/slide-show-1-ravi-pillai-amazing-journey-of-ambani-of-the-gulf/20111007.htm#4 | title=Rediff 2 | publisher=Rediff 2 | date=7 October 2007 | access-date=21 December 2014}}</ref> Two years later, he moved into construction, and established Nasser S. Al Hajri Corporation (NSH) with 150 employees,<ref name="Rediff 2" /> which has over the years grown to become the flagship company of his business group,<ref name="Kollam City" /><ref name="Rediff 2" /> RP Group, which is known to employ over 70,000 employees across its businesses.<ref name="Arabian Business">{{cite web | url=http://www.arabianbusiness.com/100-most-powerful-indians-in-gulf-475970.html?itemid=475809 | title=Arabian Business | publisher=Arabian Business | date=2014 | access-date=21 December 2014}}</ref> The shopping mall in South Kerala, [[RP Mall, Kollam|RP Mall]] at [[Kollam]] city is owned by Pillai.<ref>{{Cite web|last=admin|date=2020-10-12|title=Tracing The Success Story of Ravi Pillai and The Growth of RP Group of Companies as a Brand|url=https://www.brandzwatch.com/ravi-pillai-growth-of-rp-group-of-companies-as-brand/|access-date=2021-07-18|website=Brandzwatch|language=en}}</ref>


Pillai has expanded his business to other countries including [[United Arab Emirates]], [[Qatar]], and [[Bahrain]], and has interests in construction, hospitality, steel, cement, and oil and gas industries.<ref name="Kollam City"/> RP Group is known to hold stakes in hotels such as Leela Kovalam, Hotel Raviz,<ref name="Raviz">{{cite web | url=http://theraviz.com/ | title=Raviz | publisher=Raviz | date=2014 | access-date=21 December 2014}}</ref> Kollam, and WelcomHotel Raviz Kadavu,<ref name="RP hotels">{{cite web|url=http://www.rphotels.in/HotelHome.aspx?hid=3 |title=RP hotels |publisher=RP hotels |date=2014 |access-date=21 December 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221195916/http://www.rphotels.in/HotelHome.aspx?hid=3 |archive-date=21 December 2014 }}</ref> Kozhikode in his home state of Kerala.<ref name="Rediff 3">{{cite web | url=http://www.rediff.com/money/slide-show/slide-show-1-ravi-pillai-amazing-journey-of-ambani-of-the-gulf/20111007.htm#6 | title=Rediff 3 | publisher=Rediff 3 | date=7 October 2011 | access-date=21 December 2014}}</ref> He is involved in health care through Upasana Hospital and Research Centre, a 300-bed multispecialty hospital in Kollam.,<ref name="Kollam City" /><ref name="Upasana">{{cite web | url=http://www.upasanahospital.com/ | title=Upasana | publisher=Upasana | date=2014 | access-date=21 December 2014}}</ref>
Pillai has expanded his business to other countries including [[United Arab Emirates]], [[Qatar]], and [[Bahrain]], and has interests in construction, hospitality, steel, cement, and oil and gas industries.<ref name="Kollam City"/> RP Group is known to hold stakes in hotels such as Leela Kovalam, Hotel Raviz,<ref name="Raviz">{{cite web | url=http://theraviz.com/ | title=Raviz | publisher=Raviz | date=2014 | access-date=21 December 2014}}</ref> Kollam, and WelcomHotel Raviz Kadavu,<ref name="RP hotels">{{cite web|url=http://www.rphotels.in/HotelHome.aspx?hid=3 |title=RP hotels |publisher=RP hotels |date=2014 |access-date=21 December 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221195916/http://www.rphotels.in/HotelHome.aspx?hid=3 |archive-date=21 December 2014 }}</ref> Kozhikode in his home state of Kerala.<ref name="Rediff 3">{{cite web | url=http://www.rediff.com/money/slide-show/slide-show-1-ravi-pillai-amazing-journey-of-ambani-of-the-gulf/20111007.htm#6 | title=Rediff 3 | publisher=Rediff 3 | date=7 October 2011 | access-date=21 December 2014}}</ref> He is involved in health care through Upasana Hospital and Research Centre, a 300-bed multispecialty hospital in Kollam.,<ref name="Kollam City" /><ref name="Upasana">{{cite web | url=http://www.upasanahospital.com/ | title=Upasana | publisher=Upasana | date=2014 | access-date=21 December 2014}}</ref>
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''[[Arabian Business]]'' ranked him as the fourth most powerful Indian in the Middle East in 2015.<ref name="Arabian Business" />
''[[Arabian Business]]'' ranked him as the fourth most powerful Indian in the Middle East in 2015.<ref name="Arabian Business" />
[[File:The President, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award winners, at the Valedictory Session of the 6th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas-2008, in New Delhi on January 9, 2008.jpg|thumb|Pillai (2nd from right at front raw), other awardee stand with [[President of India]] after receiving [[Pravasi Bharatiya Samman]]]]
[[File:The President, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award winners, at the Valedictory Session of the 6th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas-2008, in New Delhi on January 9, 2008.jpg|thumb|Pillai (2nd from right at front row), other awardee stand with [[President of India]] after receiving [[Pravasi Bharatiya Samman]]]]


==Personal life==
==Personal life==

Revision as of 11:59, 27 August 2021


B. Ravi Pillai
Born (1953-09-02) 2 September 1953 (age 72)
EducationCochin University
OccupationFounder, CEO, RP Group
Net worthUS$2.9 billion (September 2020)[1]
Spouse(s)Geetha Pillai
Children2

B. Ravi Pillai (born 2 September 1953) is an Indian billionaire businessman. He is the founder and managing director of RP Group of companies.

Early life

Ravi Pillai was born on 2 September 1953 at Chavara,[2] a coastal town in Kollam, in the state of Kerala in a family of farmers.[3] He has a degree in Commerce from Cochin University.[4]

Career

During his time at university, he launched his first business, a chit fund in Kollam on reportedly borrowed money.[5] Later, he started an engineering contract business and worked for some of the major industrial houses in Kerala such as Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Limited, Hindustan Newsprint Limited, and Cochin Refineries.[5] However, a labour strike forced him to close down his business, after which he went to Saudi Arabia in 1978 where he started a small trading business.[6] Two years later, he moved into construction, and established Nasser S. Al Hajri Corporation (NSH) with 150 employees,[6] which has over the years grown to become the flagship company of his business group,[2][6] RP Group, which is known to employ over 70,000 employees across its businesses.[4] The shopping mall in South Kerala, RP Mall at Kollam city is owned by Pillai.[7]

Pillai has expanded his business to other countries including United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain, and has interests in construction, hospitality, steel, cement, and oil and gas industries.[2] RP Group is known to hold stakes in hotels such as Leela Kovalam, Hotel Raviz,[8] Kollam, and WelcomHotel Raviz Kadavu,[9] Kozhikode in his home state of Kerala.[10] He is involved in health care through Upasana Hospital and Research Centre, a 300-bed multispecialty hospital in Kollam.,[2][11]

Awards and recognition

Pillai received an honorary doctorate from Excelsior College, New York,[4] and was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman by the Government of India in 2008.[12] In 2010, the Government of India included him in the Republic Day honours list for the civilian honour of Padma Shri.[13]

Arabian Business ranked him as the fourth most powerful Indian in the Middle East in 2015.[4]

Pillai (2nd from right at front row), other awardee stand with President of India after receiving Pravasi Bharatiya Samman

Personal life

Ravi Pillai is married to Geetha, and they live in Bahrain.[1] They have two children, a son Ganesh Ravi Pillai, and a daughter Arathi Ravi Pillai.[14]

He paid for his daughter Arathi's wedding with Adhitya Vishnu in Kollam in November 2015, at a total expense of Rupees 55 crores ($7.5 million). The wedding was organized by the production designer who worked on the film, Bahubali. This is considered to be the most expensive wedding in Kerala till date.[15]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Forbes profile: Ravi Pillai". Forbes. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Kollam City". Kollam City. 2014. Archived from the original on 14 May 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  3. "IBN Live". IBN Live. 2014. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Arabian Business". Arabian Business. 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Rediff". Rediff. 7 October 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Rediff 2". Rediff 2. 7 October 2007. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  7. admin (12 October 2020). "Tracing The Success Story of Ravi Pillai and The Growth of RP Group of Companies as a Brand". Brandzwatch. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  8. "Raviz". Raviz. 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  9. "RP hotels". RP hotels. 2014. Archived from the original on 21 December 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  10. "Rediff 3". Rediff 3. 7 October 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  11. "Upasana". Upasana. 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  12. "Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs" (PDF). Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  13. "Padma Shri" (PDF). Padma Shri. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 November 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  14. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 30 November 2015. Retrieved 5 November 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. "The Grand Wedding Of Arathi And Adithya Worth ₹55 Crore held in Kerela". Gabdig.com. 29 November 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2017.