Subrata Roy: Lucknow mourns the passing of its most famous biz leader

The trans-Gomti area of Lucknow is in­com­plete without the mention of “Sahara Shaher” that served as the secretariat and the residence of the conglomerate headed by Subrata Roy (75), who passed away at a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday.
 

In the passing of Roy, affectionately known as “Saharasri” among the employees of Sahara Group firms as well as business, political and cultural circles in Uttar Pradesh and beyond, Lucknow has lost its most famous and debonair tycoon.
 

People from all walks of life condoled his death, with many including UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paying tribute on social media.
 

Diwakar Tripathi, a retired bureaucrat of the UP cadre, said Roy was an inspiring and compassionate industry leader. “He was equally involved in the cultural, social and religious activities in Lucknow. I hope someone from his family carries on the rich legacy he has left behind,” Tripathi told Business Standard.
 

Especially during Durga Puja, the city has been witness to the Roys playing an active role. The group firms made generous donations to several Puja committees every year.
 

As a first-generation entrepreneur who rose from a modest beginning in the 1970s, Roy inspired a generation of businessmen in the state.
 

“His string of successes gave us confidence that entrepreneurs and industrialists from UP could excel in new-age arenas and make a mark at the national and international levels,” said Manmohan Agarwal, a industrialist.
 

In happier days, Roy brushed shoulders with the crème de la crème of business, entertainment and politics, especially during the rule of Mulayam Singh Yadav as the chief minister (2003-2007).
 

Roy hosted big bashes in the once glitzy Sahara Shaher. Following the legal troub­les, it lost much of its sheen even as the city of Lucknow expanded.