Bahrain-based businessman Ravi Pillai becomes first Indian to own luxury helicopter worth BD5 million

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

B. Ravi Pillai, chairman of RP Group of companies, wrote himself into record books when he became the proud owner of the INR100 crore (BD5 million) worth Airbus H 145 helicopter and is the first Indian to own one.

The 68-year-old billionaire is currently worth $2.5 billion and has on his various company rolls about 70,000 employees and has huge interest in all the Middle East countries.

Mr Ravi Pillai is the founder MD of the construction giant of the gulf, Naseer S Al Hajri Corporation, based at Bahrain. With more than 60,000 people working for him, Mr Pillai has the biggest Indian workforce in Saudi. He has stakes in hotel chains and the petrochemical business, Mr Pillai’s fortune amounts to $2.4 billion, making him the 32nd richest Indian.

Interestingly, this helicopter is the first Airbus D3 helicopter in India and the first five-bladed H145 helicopter in Asia.

It is designed by Mercedes Benz. There would be no noise disturbance as the chopper is equipped with most modern technology of five rotor blades.

The latest addition of the helicopter is going to give boost to his tourism activities as he owns a string of luxury hotels across the state of Kerala and will be used to ferry his guests across tourist destinations in the state, said a top official of the RP Group.

The state of the art helicopter which has all the latest safety features will be able to carry seven passengers and the pilot.

The helicopter is capable of landing and takeoff from even high altitudes of 20,000 feet above sea level.