Mohan Singh Oberoi
Encyclopedia
Rai Bahadur Mohan Singh Oberoi (15 August 1898—3 May 2002) was a renowned India
n hotelier, widely regarded as the father of 20th century India's hotel business, was the founder Chairman of Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, India's second-largest hotel company, with 35 luxury hotels in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Egypt, Australia and Hungary .
A centenarian
, he is acknowledged for putting the Indian hoteliering on the global map by successfully establishing noted hotel brands like Oberoi and Trident worldwide . he was revered in his later years as a far-ranging visionary who provided a modern structural model for South Asia
's tourism and hospitality services industry .
He was awarded the one of India's highest civilian awards the Padma Bhushan
in 2001.
, a minor village of Jhelum District
(now Chakwal District
), Punjab
. During the partition of India
, Punjab was divided between Pakistan and India, Bhaun became part of Pakistan
. When he was six months old, his father, a contractor in Peshawar
, died, leaving his mother with few resources. After attending schools in his village and nearby Rawalpindi
, he passed the Intermediate College Examination in Lahore
, but was unable to continue attending classes because of lack of finances. Instead, he learned typing and shorthand and, in 1922, started his hotel career with a low-paid billing clerk position at Shimla
's The Cecil
. He was working there as a bell boy, within two years, he assisted the Cecil's manager, Mr. Clarke, in purchasing The Carlton Hotel (renamed Clarkes) in Shimla, and ten years later, in 1934, upon Clarke's retirement, he gathered all the family resources to purchase the hotel.
After another four years, in the aftermath of a cholera
-epidemic-caused business downturn in Kolkata
, M. S. Oberoi was able to negotiate favourable terms in taking over the management of the city's Calcutta Grand Hotel
. The hotel, formerly a palace of luxury, had been empty for years, since the death of over a hundred foreigners who were guests during the outbreak. The hotel was refurbished and the following year, 1939, at the start of World War II
, 1500 beds were made available to the British Army
, as thousands of troops filled Kolkata
. By 1941, M. S. Oberoi was becoming well known in the hotel business and, in recognition of his services to the industry in time of war, Indian authorities bestowed on him the title of Rai Bahadur.
In another two years, he became India's first modern hotel magnate by taking over the controlling interest in the Associated Hotels of India (AIH) , which owned top hotels in the entire region, including Delhi
, Rawalpindi
, Peshawar
, Lahore
, Murree
and Shimla
's Hotel Cecil, his first place of employment twenty-one years earlier.
in Calcutta . In April 1955, he was elected President of the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India and in 1960 was endowed as the President of Honour of the Federation for life. He also participated in legislative politics by winning elections to the Rajya Sabha
for two terms, first from April 1962 to March 1968 and thereafter again from April 1972 to April 1978, he was also elected to the Fourth Lok Sabha
in April 1968 and remained a Member of that House till December 1970 .
One very notable hotel industry milestone came in 1965 when, in partnership with international hotel chains, he opened the Oberoi Intercontinental in Delhi, India's first modern five-star, world-class hotel.
Almost all publications indicated M. S. Oberoi's year of birth as 1898 and his age at death as 103. In his own autobiographical sketch - How M S Oberoi became India's greatest hotelier , however, he gave 1900 as his birth year, a fact attesting to his having lived to 101. However, in his New York Times obituary, the date is given as 1898 and the following was written: "He was 103, although for years he said he was born in 1900 because he did not want to be seen as dating from the 19th century."
, ranks amongst the Top 10 Hotel Spas Asia-Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East of the Travel + Leisure
magazine. , and also Rank 3rd in Best Hotels in Asia in 2007 . Other activities include airline catering, management of restaurants and airport bars, travel and tour services, car rental
, project management and corporate air charters. The Group has a number of hotels worldwide, latest hotel additions being in Singapore
, Saudi Arabia
, Sri Lanka
, Nepal
, Egypt
and Africa
.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n hotelier, widely regarded as the father of 20th century India's hotel business, was the founder Chairman of Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, India's second-largest hotel company, with 35 luxury hotels in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Egypt, Australia and Hungary .
A centenarian
Centenarian
A centenarian is a person who is or lives beyond the age of 100 years. Because current average life expectancies across the world are less than 100, the term is invariably associated with longevity. Much rarer, a supercentenarian is a person who has lived to the age of 110 or more, something only...
, he is acknowledged for putting the Indian hoteliering on the global map by successfully establishing noted hotel brands like Oberoi and Trident worldwide . he was revered in his later years as a far-ranging visionary who provided a modern structural model for South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
's tourism and hospitality services industry .
He was awarded the one of India's highest civilian awards the Padma Bhushan
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
in 2001.
Early years
M S Oberoi was born in BhaunBhaun
Bhaun is a town in Chakwal District in the Punjab province of Pakistan 12 kilometres away from the district capital Chakwal. In 2007 Pakistan Railways announced the resumption of the Bhaun to Chakwal service. However, no progress has been made to this effect as of February 2009...
, a minor village of Jhelum District
Jhelum District
Jhelum District is in the Punjab province of Pakistan. According the 1998 census the district had a population of 936,957, of which 31.48% were urban. Jhelum is known for providing a large number of soldiers to the British and later to the Pakistan armed forces due to which it is also known as...
(now Chakwal District
Chakwal District
Chakwal is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Chakwal district was created in 1985; until the year 2000 when divisions were abolished, it was part of Rawalpindi Division.-Administration:...
), Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
. During the partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
, Punjab was divided between Pakistan and India, Bhaun became part of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. When he was six months old, his father, a contractor in Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
, died, leaving his mother with few resources. After attending schools in his village and nearby Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
, he passed the Intermediate College Examination in Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, but was unable to continue attending classes because of lack of finances. Instead, he learned typing and shorthand and, in 1922, started his hotel career with a low-paid billing clerk position at Shimla
Shimla
Shimla , formerly known as Simla, is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of the British Raj in India. A popular tourist destination, Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills," a term coined by the British...
's The Cecil
The Cecil
The Cecil is a historic luxury hotel located in the hill station Shimla, India. It was established in 1884 by the British. The address is at Chaura Maidan...
. He was working there as a bell boy, within two years, he assisted the Cecil's manager, Mr. Clarke, in purchasing The Carlton Hotel (renamed Clarkes) in Shimla, and ten years later, in 1934, upon Clarke's retirement, he gathered all the family resources to purchase the hotel.
The start of a hotel empire
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
-epidemic-caused business downturn in Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, M. S. Oberoi was able to negotiate favourable terms in taking over the management of the city's Calcutta Grand Hotel
Grand Hotel (Calcutta)
The Grand Hotel, officially known as the Oberoi Grand, is situated in the heart of Kolkata on Jawaharlal Nehru Road . It is an elegant building of British era and is a famous building in Kolkata. The hotel is owned by Oberoi chain of hotels.-History:The Grand Hotel had humble beginnings as Mrs...
. The hotel, formerly a palace of luxury, had been empty for years, since the death of over a hundred foreigners who were guests during the outbreak. The hotel was refurbished and the following year, 1939, at the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, 1500 beds were made available to the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, as thousands of troops filled Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
. By 1941, M. S. Oberoi was becoming well known in the hotel business and, in recognition of his services to the industry in time of war, Indian authorities bestowed on him the title of Rai Bahadur.
In another two years, he became India's first modern hotel magnate by taking over the controlling interest in the Associated Hotels of India (AIH) , which owned top hotels in the entire region, including Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
, Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
, Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, Murree
Murree
Murree city is a popular hill station and a summer resort, especially for the residents of Rawalpindi/Islamabad, and for the cities of the province of Punjab, Pakistan...
and Shimla
Shimla
Shimla , formerly known as Simla, is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of the British Raj in India. A popular tourist destination, Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills," a term coined by the British...
's Hotel Cecil, his first place of employment twenty-one years earlier.
Role as politician and business statesman
As India became independent, M. S. Oberoi built additional hotels, while expanding his base holdings. In 1948, he established 1948, East India Hotels now known as EIH Ltd., whose first acquisition was the Oberoi Grand HotelGrand Hotel (Calcutta)
The Grand Hotel, officially known as the Oberoi Grand, is situated in the heart of Kolkata on Jawaharlal Nehru Road . It is an elegant building of British era and is a famous building in Kolkata. The hotel is owned by Oberoi chain of hotels.-History:The Grand Hotel had humble beginnings as Mrs...
in Calcutta . In April 1955, he was elected President of the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India and in 1960 was endowed as the President of Honour of the Federation for life. He also participated in legislative politics by winning elections to the Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
for two terms, first from April 1962 to March 1968 and thereafter again from April 1972 to April 1978, he was also elected to the Fourth Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
in April 1968 and remained a Member of that House till December 1970 .
One very notable hotel industry milestone came in 1965 when, in partnership with international hotel chains, he opened the Oberoi Intercontinental in Delhi, India's first modern five-star, world-class hotel.
Revered centenarian
Throughout his later life M. S. Oberoi received numerous honours and awards, both from the Indian government and private organizations and came to be seen as an emblematic figure in transformation of modern India. Upon his death, extensive tributes poured in from the country's business community.Almost all publications indicated M. S. Oberoi's year of birth as 1898 and his age at death as 103. In his own autobiographical sketch - How M S Oberoi became India's greatest hotelier , however, he gave 1900 as his birth year, a fact attesting to his having lived to 101. However, in his New York Times obituary, the date is given as 1898 and the following was written: "He was 103, although for years he said he was born in 1900 because he did not want to be seen as dating from the 19th century."
Oberoi Group
The Oberoi Group, founded in 1934, now employs about 12,000 people worldwide and owns and manages about thirty hotels and five luxury cruisers. Oberoi Amarvilas, AgraAgra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
, ranks amongst the Top 10 Hotel Spas Asia-Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East of the Travel + Leisure
Travel + Leisure
Travel + Leisure is a travel magazine based in New York City, New York. Published 12 times a year, it has 4.8 million readers, according to its corporate media kit. It is put out by American Express Publishing Corporation, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Express Company led by...
magazine. , and also Rank 3rd in Best Hotels in Asia in 2007 . Other activities include airline catering, management of restaurants and airport bars, travel and tour services, car rental
Car rental
A car rental or car hire agency is a company that rents automobiles for short periods of time for a fee...
, project management and corporate air charters. The Group has a number of hotels worldwide, latest hotel additions being in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
.
Further reading
- Dare to Dream: a Life of Rai Bahadur Mohan Singh Oberoi, by Bachi J Karkaria. Viking, 1992. ISBN 0670847232.
- 216: M.S. Oberoi. 333 Great Indians, who is who & who was Who, from the Remotest Past to the Nearest Present: Philosophers, Politicians, Diplomats: Philosophers, Politicians, Diplomats. Edited by Om Parkash Varma. Published by Varma Bros., 1963. Page 189
- Rai Bahadur Mohan Singh Oberoi: Father of the Indian Hotel Industry. by Chathoth, P. K. Chon, K. K. S. JOURNAL OF HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM EDUCATION, 2006, VOL 18; NUMB 1, pages 7-10. USA. ISSN 1096-3758.
External links
- How M S Oberoi became India's greatest hotelier by M.S. Oberoi, with note by Dr. Gita Piramal, Managing Editor, The Smart Manager. Rediff.comRediff.comRediff.com India is a news, information, entertainment, and shopping portal. It was founded in 1996 as "Rediff On The NeT" and is headquartered in Mumbai, India with offices in New Delhi and New York City, USA....
- M.S. Oberoi dies at 103 (2002) The Hindu Business Line.
- Rai Bahadur M S Oberoi - A Tribute To The Founding Father (2000) Indian Express.
- MS Oberoi:A Century Of Hospitality the-south-asian, September 2000.