Prithvi Raj Singh Oberoi (PRS Oberoi), the esteemed Chairman Emeritus of the Oberoi Group and a stalwart in the Indian hospitality sector, passed away at the age of 94 this Tuesday. Affectionately known as 'Biki', his legacy has forever transformed the landscape of the Indian hotel and hospitality industry. &nbsp;

Being globally recognised for establishing India’s first five-star hotel, we go back in time and look at Biki Oberoi’s noteworthy journey of becoming one of the most prominent figures in the Indian hospitality sector. &nbsp;

Early life and ambitions &nbsp;&nbsp;

At the age of 10, Biki Oberoi was enrolled in St Paul’s School in Darjeeling, Bengal, in 1939, a time when his father, Mohan Singh, was venturing into the hotel business. &nbsp;

Mohan Singh had purchased his first property, Clarkes Hotel in Shimla, in 1934, as he sought to establish himself as a hotelier. With time, he was able to learn the ropes of hospitality as a clerk at Shimla’s Cecil Hotel (now The Oberoi Cecil). &nbsp;

Recognising his talent, the owner made him a partner in a recently acquired hotel. In 1934, when the British owner decided to sell the hotel, Mohan Singh used his savings and borrowed funds to purchase the property.&nbsp;

By 1938, he expanded his holdings by acquiring the Grand Hotel (now The Oberoi Grand) in Calcutta. &nbsp;

In a noteworthy move in 1943, Mohan Singh purchased the Associated Hotels of India (AHI), the owner of Shimla’s Cecil Hotel where he had initially worked as a clerk. &nbsp;

Meanwhile, Biki Oberoi's journey was just beginning. He completed school in 1946 and, in 1949, decided to work in hotels in France and Switzerland and gather practical experience. Although valuable, he noted that he already had a solid foundation in the hotel industry, having spent his entire life in hotels until 1973, growing up with a deep&nbsp;understanding of the business.&nbsp;

The Genesis of Oberoi Hotels &nbsp;&nbsp;

In 1955, he returned to the family business and assumed responsibility for the four hotels in Pakistan acquired through the AHI deal. However, the 1965 war resulted in the Pakistani government taking control of those hotels. &nbsp;

Despite the setback, the subsequent growth of the business helped alleviate the impact of this loss. Collaborating with his father and elder brother, Tilak ‘Tikki’ Raj Singh Oberoi, Biki focused on expanding the group both within India and internationally.&nbsp;

During the 1970s and 1980s, Biki Oberoi gained a reputation for his meticulous attention to detail and commitment to comfort. Known for carrying his own towels and bringing chefs to cities where the Oberoi Group did not own hotels, Oberoi's extensive travel had given him a keen understanding of world-class hotels. &nbsp;

Recognising that their existing properties fell short of global standards due to their age, Oberoi took several steps to address this challenge. In 1988, he inaugurated a new hotel in Chennai, constructed by local businessman Lakshminarayan Ganesh, who later became a director in EIH. Although the property was a five-star hotel and not a luxury establishment, Oberoi seized the opportunity to introduce a new brand—Trident.&nbsp;

Understanding that his father's desire to be among the world's best hotels could only be fulfilled by opening a grand property, Oberoi found the perfect opportunity in the mid-1990s. Acquiring 28 acres on the outskirts of Jaipur, he oversaw the construction of The Oberoi Rajvilas. Within a year of its debut in 1998, the hotel gained recognition as one of the world's finest. Oberoi continued this success with other iconic properties in Agra, Udaipur, and Ranthambore.&nbsp;

Oberoi’s philosophy&nbsp;

A Forbes India report mentions Kapil Chopra, an ex-president of The Oberoi Group, who had a crucial conversation with Oberoi to understand his role. During the briefing, Oberoi received a distressing call from the general manager of The Oberoi, Mauritius, reporting a fire that was destroying the property.&nbsp;

In the midst of the crisis, Oberoi instructed the Mauritius general manager to ensure the safety of guests and employees and to provide updates every half an hour. After hanging up, he turned to Chopra and imparted valuable advice, saying, "Kapil, there are three things that you should remember as a general manager. Your first priority should be guests, second should be employees, and once the first two are taken care of, you will be sure of a profitable operation."&nbsp;

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Prithvi Raj Singh Oberoi (PRS Oberoi), the esteemed Chairman Emeritus of the Oberoi Group and a stalwart in the Indian hospitality sector, passed away at the age of 94 this Tuesday.

Prithvi Raj Singh Oberoi (PRS Oberoi), the esteemed Chairman Emeritus of the Oberoi Group and a stalwart in the Indian hospitality sector, passed away at the age of 94 this Tuesday. Affectionately known as 'Biki', his legacy has forever transformed the landscape of the Indian hotel and hospitality industry. Being globally recognised for establishing India’s first five-star hotel, we go back in time and look at Biki Oberoi’s noteworthy journey of becoming one of the most prominent figures in the Indian hospitality sector. Early life and ambitions At the age of 10, Biki Oberoi was enrolled in St Paul’s School in Darjeeling, Bengal, in 1939, a time when his father, Mohan Singh, was venturing into the hotel business. Mohan Singh had purchased his first property, Clarkes Hotel in Shimla, in 1934, as he sought to establish himself as a hotelier. With time, he was able to learn the ropes of hospitality as a clerk at Shimla’s Cecil Hotel (now The Oberoi Cecil). Recognising his talent, the owner made him a partner in a recently acquired hotel. In 1934, when the British owner decided to sell the hotel, Mohan Singh used his savings and borrowed funds to purchase the property. By 1938, he expanded his holdings by acquiring the Grand Hotel (now The Oberoi Grand) in Calcutta. In a noteworthy move in 1943, Mohan Singh purchased the Associated Hotels of India (AHI), the owner of Shimla’s Cecil Hotel where he had initially worked as a clerk. Meanwhile, Biki Oberoi's journey was just beginning. He completed school in 1946 and, in 1949, decided to work in hotels in France and Switzerland and gather practical experience. Although valuable, he noted that he already had a solid foundation in the hotel industry, having spent his entire life in hotels until 1973, growing up with a deep understanding of the business. The Genesis of Oberoi Hotels In 1955, he returned to the family business and assumed responsibility for the four hotels in Pakistan acquired through the AHI deal. However, the 1965 war resulted in the Pakistani government taking control of those hotels. Despite the setback, the subsequent growth of the business helped alleviate the impact of this loss. Collaborating with his father and elder brother, Tilak ‘Tikki’ Raj Singh Oberoi, Biki focused on expanding the group both within India and internationally. During the 1970s and 1980s, Biki Oberoi gained a reputation for his meticulous attention to detail and commitment to comfort. Known for carrying his own towels and bringing chefs to cities where the Oberoi Group did not own hotels, Oberoi's extensive travel had given him a keen understanding of world-class hotels. Recognising that their existing properties fell short of global standards due to their age, Oberoi took several steps to address this challenge. In 1988, he inaugurated a new hotel in Chennai, constructed by local businessman Lakshminarayan Ganesh, who later became a director in EIH. Although the property was a five-star hotel and not a luxury establishment, Oberoi seized the opportunity to introduce a new brand—Trident. Understanding that his father's desire to be among the world's best hotels could only be fulfilled by opening a grand property, Oberoi found the perfect opportunity in the mid-1990s. Acquiring 28 acres on the outskirts of Jaipur, he oversaw the construction of The Oberoi Rajvilas. Within a year of its debut in 1998, the hotel gained recognition as one of the world's finest. Oberoi continued this success with other iconic properties in Agra, Udaipur, and Ranthambore. Oberoi’s philosophy A Forbes India report mentions Kapil Chopra, an ex-president of The Oberoi Group, who had a crucial conversation with Oberoi to understand his role. During the briefing, Oberoi received a distressing call from the general manager of The Oberoi, Mauritius, reporting a fire that was destroying the property. In the midst of the crisis, Oberoi instructed the Mauritius general manager to ensure the safety of guests and employees and to provide updates every half an hour. After hanging up, he turned to Chopra and imparted valuable advice, saying, "Kapil, there are three things that you should remember as a general manager. Your first priority should be guests, second should be employees, and once the first two are taken care of, you will be sure of a profitable operation." WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Flashback Friday: Unveiling the legacy and influence of PRS Oberoi  

Tata Group&#39;s hospitality arm Indian Hotels has called an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders to seek removal of ousted chairman Cyrus Mistry as director of the company.

&quot;A requisition is received from Tata Sons, a shareholder of Indian Hotels Company Ltd, holding 28.01 per cent of the paid-up equity share capital of the company to convene an extra-ordinary general meeting of the shareholders of the company... To pass the resolution for removal of C P Mistry as director of the company,&quot; the hospitality major said in a BSE filing.

Earlier in the day, Tata Sons appointed Ishaat Hussain as the Chairman of the group&#39;s hugely successful IT firm TCS in place of Cyrus Mistry.

Last week, independent directors of Indian Hotels Co Ltd (IHCL) unanimously supported his leadership and continuance as chairman of the company.

Just as independent directors of the firm, including banker Deepak Parekh and Nadir Godrej, met ahead of a scheduled board meeting, Tata security personnel roughed up journalists and lensmen gathered outside Bombay House to report the meetings.

After ousting Mistry from Tata Sons, the holding company of 100-odd firms with India&#39;s largest conglomerate, the promoter Tata Trust is looking at removing him from the operating companies as well.

The other independent directors of IHCL include Gautam Banerjee (of Blackstone Group), Keki Dadiseth (ex-HUL MD), Vibha Rishi Paul (former executive director, brand and human capital, Max India) and Ireena Vittal (former partner with McKinsey &amp; Co).

Besides Mistry, his elder brother Shapoor Mistry is a director on the board of IHCL, as also his confidant and CEO Rakesh K Sarna.

Ratan Tata-led interim management of Tata Sons is seeking to oust Mistry from his positions in the operating group firms, including IHCL and Tata Motors.

(PTI)

Earlier in the day, Tata Sons appointed Ishaat Hussain as the Chairman of the group's hugely successful IT firm TCS in place of Cyrus Mistry

Tata Group's hospitality arm Indian Hotels has called an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders to seek removal of ousted chairman Cyrus Mistry as director of the company. "A requisition is received from Tata Sons, a shareholder of Indian Hotels Company Ltd, holding 28.01 per cent of the paid-up equity share capital of the company to convene an extra-ordinary general meeting of the shareholders of the company... To pass the resolution for removal of C P Mistry as director of the company," the hospitality major said in a BSE filing. Earlier in the day, Tata Sons appointed Ishaat Hussain as the Chairman of the group's hugely successful IT firm TCS in place of Cyrus Mistry. Last week, independent directors of Indian Hotels Co Ltd (IHCL) unanimously supported his leadership and continuance as chairman of the company. Just as independent directors of the firm, including banker Deepak Parekh and Nadir Godrej, met ahead of a scheduled board meeting, Tata security personnel roughed up journalists and lensmen gathered outside Bombay House to report the meetings. After ousting Mistry from Tata Sons, the holding company of 100-odd firms with India's largest conglomerate, the promoter Tata Trust is looking at removing him from the operating companies as well. The other independent directors of IHCL include Gautam Banerjee (of Blackstone Group), Keki Dadiseth (ex-HUL MD), Vibha Rishi Paul (former executive director, brand and human capital, Max India) and Ireena Vittal (former partner with McKinsey & Co). Besides Mistry, his elder brother Shapoor Mistry is a director on the board of IHCL, as also his confidant and CEO Rakesh K Sarna. Ratan Tata-led interim management of Tata Sons is seeking to oust Mistry from his positions in the operating group firms, including IHCL and Tata Motors. (PTI)

Tata Group's Indian Hotels seeks Mistry's removal as director

Launching a scathing attack on ousted chairman Cyrus Mistry, Tata Sons today accused him of betraying trust and trying to seek control of main operating firms of the over USD 100 billion group.

In a nine-page statement, the promoter of the major operating Tata companies made a point by point rebuttal to the letter which Mistry had written to its board members a day after he was ousted on October 24.

Tata Sons accused Mistry of trying to gain control of the Indian Hotels Co Ltd - the firm that runs Taj Group of Hotels - by using independent directors. 
 
Mistry-headed IHCL, where Tata Sons holds just 28.01 per cent stake, had last week in a filing to stock exchanges stated that independent directors have backed the Chairman and his leadership.

&quot;In hindsight, the trust reposed by Tata Sons in Mr Mistry by appointing him as the Chairman four years ago has been betrayed by his desire to seek to control main operating companies of the Tata group to the exclusion of Tata Sons and other Tata representatives,&quot; the Tata Sons statement said.

Tata Sons said dividend from 40-odd Tata Group firms had declined during Mistry&#39;s tenure while expenses have risen. It accused Mistry of demolishing the historic management structure where Tata Sons exercised control over its group companies.

&quot;We now have an unacceptable new structure where the Chairman alone is the only common Director across several companies and this situation could not be allowed to go on,&quot; it said.

Punching holes into Mistry&#39;s performance over four years, it listed Tata Steel Europe, DoCoMo-Tata Tele joint venture and Tata Motors&#39; Indian operations as &quot;problem companies&quot; where there was no &quot;noticeable improvement in operations&quot; and the situation has worsened with widening losses, increasing debt and declining market share.

&quot;Even with no turn-around...The only action taken was to write-off huge amounts against these companies,&quot; it said.

Mistry had in his letter to the Directors warned of Tata Group firms facing Rs 1.18 lakh crore write-offs.

Tata Sons said the group&#39;s debt has risen by Rs 69,877 crore to Rs 2,25,740 crore in the last four years and went on to point that the buyer of Tata&#39;s European steel assets had dramatically turned around the company in the very first year.

It lashed out at Mistry&#39;s handling of the crisis at Tata Steel Europe and the stand-off with Japan&#39;s DoCoMo over the failed telecom joint venture where Tatas face USD 1.17 billion penalty for violation of contract.

Ratan Tata meets employee unions ahead of crucial board meeting

Ratan Tata met the employee unions from the company&#39;s biggest plants in Mumbai on Thursday ahead of the crucial board meeting of Tata Motors next week.

&quot;We have had a long lasting, emotional relationship with Ratan Tata for over 25 years and met him today,&quot; president of Pune-based Tata Motors Employees Union Sameer Dhumal said.

Dhumal refused to share what transpired and also declined a specific answer regarding which camp the workers support --- Tata or Mistry. 
 
(PTI)

In a nine-page letter, the promoter of the major operating Tata companies made a point by point rebuttal to the Mistry's letter

Launching a scathing attack on ousted chairman Cyrus Mistry, Tata Sons today accused him of betraying trust and trying to seek control of main operating firms of the over USD 100 billion group. In a nine-page statement, the promoter of the major operating Tata companies made a point by point rebuttal to the letter which Mistry had written to its board members a day after he was ousted on October 24. Tata Sons accused Mistry of trying to gain control of the Indian Hotels Co Ltd - the firm that runs Taj Group of Hotels - by using independent directors. Mistry-headed IHCL, where Tata Sons holds just 28.01 per cent stake, had last week in a filing to stock exchanges stated that independent directors have backed the Chairman and his leadership. "In hindsight, the trust reposed by Tata Sons in Mr Mistry by appointing him as the Chairman four years ago has been betrayed by his desire to seek to control main operating companies of the Tata group to the exclusion of Tata Sons and other Tata representatives," the Tata Sons statement said. Tata Sons said dividend from 40-odd Tata Group firms had declined during Mistry's tenure while expenses have risen. It accused Mistry of demolishing the historic management structure where Tata Sons exercised control over its group companies. "We now have an unacceptable new structure where the Chairman alone is the only common Director across several companies and this situation could not be allowed to go on," it said. Punching holes into Mistry's performance over four years, it listed Tata Steel Europe, DoCoMo-Tata Tele joint venture and Tata Motors' Indian operations as "problem companies" where there was no "noticeable improvement in operations" and the situation has worsened with widening losses, increasing debt and declining market share. "Even with no turn-around...The only action taken was to write-off huge amounts against these companies," it said. Mistry had in his letter to the Directors warned of Tata Group firms facing Rs 1.18 lakh crore write-offs. Tata Sons said the group's debt has risen by Rs 69,877 crore to Rs 2,25,740 crore in the last four years and went on to point that the buyer of Tata's European steel assets had dramatically turned around the company in the very first year. It lashed out at Mistry's handling of the crisis at Tata Steel Europe and the stand-off with Japan's DoCoMo over the failed telecom joint venture where Tatas face USD 1.17 billion penalty for violation of contract. Ratan Tata meets employee unions ahead of crucial board meeting Ratan Tata met the employee unions from the company's biggest plants in Mumbai on Thursday ahead of the crucial board meeting of Tata Motors next week. "We have had a long lasting, emotional relationship with Ratan Tata for over 25 years and met him today," president of Pune-based Tata Motors Employees Union Sameer Dhumal said. Dhumal refused to share what transpired and also declined a specific answer regarding which camp the workers support --- Tata or Mistry. (PTI)

Tata Sons hits out at Mistry, accuses him of betraying trust

The independent directors of the Indian Hotels, a Tata group company, have expressed solidarity with the ousted Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry, endorsing his leadership.&nbsp;

The directors of Tata group&#39;s hospitality arm praised the steps taken by Mistry in &quot;providing strategic direction and leadership to the company&quot;.&nbsp;

IHCL&#39;s directors, including banker Deepak Parekh, Nadir Godrej, Gautam Banerjee, Keki Dadiseth, Vibha Rishi and Ireena Vittal met ahead of the company board meeting on Friday. They reposed faith in Mistry, saying they &quot;unanimously expressed full confidence in him&quot;.&nbsp;

Explaining the reasons for making public their views, IHCL said: &quot;After deliberations, the independent directors came to a view that being a listed company, it was imperative for the independent directors to state their views to the investors and public at large, such that those who trade in securities of the company make an informed decision.&quot;&nbsp;

Ratan Tata-led interim management of Tata Sons is seeking to oust Mistry from his positions in the operating group firms, including IHCL and Tata Motors.

Sources close to Mistry had stated that after his removal as the chair of Tata Sons, he has decided to dig his heels in his current role at Tata group firms, including Tata Steel, TCS, and Tata Motors. &quot;He will discharge his fiduciary duty as required by law in all his positions in the Tata group&quot;.

(WION with inputs from PTI) 
&nbsp;

The directors of Tata group's hospitality arm praised the steps taken by Mistry in 'providing direction to company'

The independent directors of the Indian Hotels, a Tata group company, have expressed solidarity with the ousted Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry, endorsing his leadership. The directors of Tata group's hospitality arm praised the steps taken by Mistry in "providing strategic direction and leadership to the company". IHCL's directors, including banker Deepak Parekh, Nadir Godrej, Gautam Banerjee, Keki Dadiseth, Vibha Rishi and Ireena Vittal met ahead of the company board meeting on Friday. They reposed faith in Mistry, saying they "unanimously expressed full confidence in him". Explaining the reasons for making public their views, IHCL said: "After deliberations, the independent directors came to a view that being a listed company, it was imperative for the independent directors to state their views to the investors and public at large, such that those who trade in securities of the company make an informed decision." Ratan Tata-led interim management of Tata Sons is seeking to oust Mistry from his positions in the operating group firms, including IHCL and Tata Motors. Sources close to Mistry had stated that after his removal as the chair of Tata Sons, he has decided to dig his heels in his current role at Tata group firms, including Tata Steel, TCS, and Tata Motors. "He will discharge his fiduciary duty as required by law in all his positions in the Tata group". (WION with inputs from PTI)

Ratan Tata-Cyrus Mistry row: Indian Hotels independent directors back ousted chairman Mistry

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Flashback Friday: Unveiling the legacy and influence of PRS Oberoi

Tata Group's Indian Hotels seeks Mistry's removal as director

Tata Sons hits out at Mistry, accuses him of betraying trust

Ratan Tata-Cyrus Mistry row: Indian Hotels independent directors back ousted chairman Mistry