Mallya shows ’em: gifts 320 free tickets

London: Vijay Mallya, chairman of United Breweries and Kingfisher Airlines, is often called “the Richard Branson of India”, thereby lifting him to the pedestal alongside Sir Richard Branson, the equally flamboyant founder of Virgin Atlantic Airways.
But after the manner in which Mallya stole the show at last night’s Mansion House banquet to mark the first anniversary of the UK-India Business Council, it is perhaps Branson who should be called “the Vijay Mallya of Britain”.
Mallya had a girl go round handing out red envelopes to all the 320 movers and shakers attending the banquet given by the Lord Mayor of London, David Lewis.
Gathered were high commissioners, members of the House of Lords and the Commons, billionaires and mere millionaires, big-name captains of industry and seriously glamorous women dripping with diamonds.
One Virgin senior executive opened his red envelope and could scarcely believe his eyes. “He’s has given us free tickets to India!” he cried.
All guests received a free economy class ticket, valid for a year, to travel from London to India on Kingfisher, which begins its inaugural Bangalore-Heathrow service on September 3.
Mallya left the banquet in dramatic fashion. “I need to fly back to India just now — I would like to catch our (inaugural) flight from Bangalore to Heathrow,” he announced to laughter.
03/09/08 Amit Roy/The Telegraph

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Categories: Foreign Sep 2008, Kingfisher Sep 2008