Rahul Bhatia
| Rahul Bhatia | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 18, 1955[1] |
| Residence | New Delhi |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | Bachelor of Engineering |
| Alma mater | University of Waterloo |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Years active | 1985-present |
| Organization |
IndiGo InterGlobe Enterprises |
| Net worth |
 $3.1 billion(jointly with Kapil Bhatia)[2] |
| Children |
Avantika Bhatia Arunanshu Bhatia[1] |
| Parent(s) |
|
| Awards |
Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award Economic Times Entrepreneur of the Year Award |
Rahul Bhatia is an Indian businessman and co-founder and Non-executive director of low-cost carrier IndiGo and founder & group Managing Director of InterGlobe Enterprises. IndiGo airline commenced operations in August 2006 and had its Initial Public Offering in October 2015. After the listing of the airline on the Indian stock exchanges BSE and NSE, Forbes magazine declared him the twentieth richest person in India (jointly with his father Kapil Bhatia), with a net worth of $3.1 billion.
Early life
Rahul Bhatia was born in 1955 in India. He attended the University of Waterloo and attained Bachelor of Engineering degree. As a student at the University of Waterloo, he worked for two years with IBM. Bhatia wanted to do Ph.D and become a teacher. He however was also doing some Information technology work for United Airlines and in 1985, in the airlines' head-office in Chicago, he met Rakesh Gangwal with whom he later co-founded IndiGo in 2006.[1][3]
Career
Rahul Bhatia, as a student worked for two years with IBM where he was involved in the pilot project to establish a fully automated screen manufacturing plant. His father, Kapil Bhatia used to run a travel agency by the name Delhi Express which fell into trouble while Rahul Bhatia was living in the US.[4] Rahul Bhatia returned to India and started his career as a businessman by establishing InterGlobe Enterprises in 1989, dealing in air transport management. He soon diversified into other businesses and developed number of travel related businesses as well.[5] InterGlobe Enterprises is a privately held corporate group which, apart from holding the airline, also holds travel related businesses, chain of hotels in JV with AccorHotels and three restaurants in Gurgaon, Haryana.[1][2] Along with Rakesh Gangwal, Rahul Bhtia co-founded IndiGo which commenced operations in August 2006.[3]
Rahul Bhatia currently serves as the non-executive director of IndiGo and group Managing Director of InterGlobe Enterprises.[6][7]
Indigo Airlines
Rahul Bhatia and his father wanted to start an airline since many years and persuaded Rakesh Gangwal for years to co-found the airline. Rakesh initially had no interest in starting an airline, but over dinner at Bhatia's house one evening he agreed to work with them to launch the airline.
Look, you guys decide how much money you want to lose. I will work with you. I don't want any part of this business. I will give you all my knowledge or whatever experience I have. But once you have lost that money, shake hands and remain friends— Rakesh Gangwal to Rahul & Kapil Bhatia, [4]
IndiGo placed firm order for 100 Airbus A320-200 aircraft in June 2005 with plans to commence operations in mid 2006.[8] The airline took delivery of its first Airbus aircraft on 28 July 2006 and the operations commenced on 4 August 2006 with first flight operating from New Delhi to Guwahati.[9]
Awards
- Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2010.[1][10]
- Economic Times Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2011.[1][11]
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Personal details". infolona.com. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
- 1 2 "Net Worth". Forbes.com. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
- 1 2 "How Bhatia founded Indigo". Forbes.com. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
- 1 2 "Men behind IndiGo's blockbuster takeoff". The Economic Times. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
- ↑ "Executive Profile". Bloomberg. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
- ↑ "Indigo Board Of Directors". IndiGo website. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "About InterGlobe Enterprises". InterGlobe Enterprises website. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Aircraft order". The Economic Times. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "IndiGo operations". The Hindu. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "Rahul Bhatia: EY award". Ernst & Young website. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ↑ "ET Awards: Rahul Bhatia". The Economic Times. Retrieved 10 September 2016.