Success Story of Prithvi Raj Singh Oberoi: The Legend of Hospitality Industry

Who is Prithvi Raj Singh Oberoi:
Prithvi Raj Singh Oberoi, worldwide known as Bikki Oberoi, is the chairman and chief executive officer of ‘Oberoi Hotel Group’ which runs a chain of luxury hotels. Bikki’s father Mr. Mohan Singh Oberoi was the founding Chairman of EIH Limited which was formerly known as East India Hotels- the flagship company of the Oberoi Group and the third largest hospitality chain in India. Bikki took over as the Chairman of EIH Limited after the death of his father Mr. Mohan Singh Oberoi in 2002

The Rise:
Due to some epidemic in his village Mohan Singh came to Shimla and started working as a manager at Cecil hotel. After sometime in 1927, seeing his natural ability to manage hotel, Ernest Clarke-the owner of the Cecil hotel- asked him to join him in managing Delhi Club. After working for him for many years, Clarke made him his partner in 1930.

Their business picked up far more than they expected. However, the debt also grew. In 1933, MS came up with a plan to free Clarke from financial mess and save hotels but soon Clarke died. MS bought his all the shares from Clarke’s widow for Rs. 20,000 and became the only Proprietor of Clarke Hotels in Delhi and Shimla. And here onwards the legacy of The Oberoi Group began.

Within next few years, he paid all the loans pending on Clarke’s. Fortunately, during the same period he received the offer to acquire the Grand in Calcutta which was owned by Stephen Arathoon-an Armenian real estate tycoon and was almost out of business.