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| Ravi Pillai, al Hajri Corporation, Bahrain |
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A
string of failures in business preceded Ravi Pillai’s trip to
Gulf to look for greener pastures.
It started while he was studying for Pre Degree in D.B.College,
Sasthamkotta.
In order to supplement the pocket money, he ventured into
‘chitty’, collecting Rs.100 each at an interest of Rs.5.
Though the scale of business multiplied, bad debts soon wrote its
epitaph.
The
next trial was at Chavara Industrial Area.
After purchasing the machinery for starting a paint factory, he
soon dropped this idea. Next,
as part of his MBA project, he worked in FACT, and the friendship
developed there made him don the role of a sub contractor at the firm.
This too did not click, and his next trials at Cochin Refineries
and Velloor News Print factory met with the same fate.
After suffering a loss of Rs.5 lakhs, he decided to try his hand in
Saudi Arabia.
Ravi
Pillai, whose ambition, even as a student of the 10th standard
was to become a businessman, started a construction company ‘Al Hajri
Corporation’ at Al Cobber, Saudi Arabia with 50 employees in 1978.
Since then there has been no looking back for this native of
Madappally, Chavara, Kollam, whose company now employs 10000 persons, 90%
of whom are Malayalis and Tamilians. With a turnover of Rs.1800 crores, it
is a leading company with presence in many Gulf countries.
The
turning point in his business career occurred when he met a business
consultant, Swaminathan. What are the reasons for the success of his
business?
Ravi Pillai has a ready answer: “punctuality, honesty and
quality.
If these 3 are maintained, then offers will come naturally.”
Among
his ventures back home is the 300-bed ‘Upasana’ Speciality Hospital at
Kollam.
He has plans to upgrade the nursing school attached to this
hospital into a nursing college in collaboration with a US institution and
ensure that the nurses who graduate from here find jobs in the US.
His
wife Geetha is a partner in his business efforts.
His children Ganesh and Arathy are students.
Courtesy:
P.K.Surendran, Mathrubhumi, April 5, 2004
Contributed by: Administrator
