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And if they splurge on these gizmos, billionaires go all out in customising them. Take the case of India's richest man, Mukesh Ambani. His Boeing Business Jet 2 (worth $73 million) can cover an astounding 6616 miles without refuelling with a top speed of Mach 0.82. For his business meetings, Ambani has added a boardroom with plush executive seats. In 2007, Ambani gifted his wife, Nita, a Rs 242-crore Airbus 319 Corporate Jet on her 44th birthday. The luxuriant aircraft has been custom-fitted with an office, a conference room, bedroom, attached bathroom, a cabin with gaming consoles, music systems, satellite television, wireless communications and a well-stocked bar. What's more, Nita Ambani's gift can travel 12,000 km without refuelling. Decorated with tan leather armchairs and cushy sofas, the plane exudes sinful luxury and opulence. Ambani also owns a Falcon 900EX.
While till 2005, there were less than 40 private aircraft in India, this number has steadily grown to over 500 private aircraft, including over 250 fixed-wing planes and helicopters in the last few years. Aircraft manufacturer Gulfstream says that two-thirds of its 21 aircraft in India are large cabin aircraft like the GIV and G550 that are ideal for long international flights.
Super-rich jet-setters like K P Singh of DLF and Punj Lloyd Group Chairman Atul Punj own a Gulfstream IV (over $30 million). Punj's jet has been fancifully customised - it has a deluxe living room, two beds, and a shower.
While the company says he doesn't own any corporate aircraft anymore, United Breweries Chairman Vijay Mallya travels in the Airbus CJ 319 which is currently on lease from Deutsche Bank, London. Mallya's private companies previously owned a Boeing 727 and a Gulfstream but both have been disposed off a long time ago due to age, says the company. Mallya also uses a Hawker 700 which is owned by Shaw Wallace in Bangalore.
While Suzlon Energy Chairman Tulsi Tanti owns a Citation XL, Raymond's Gautam Singhania has a Challenger 604 (over $20 million) and Ratan Tata has a Dassault Falcon 2000 (over $20 million). Gautam Adani of Adani Enterprises owns two private jets - a Beechcraft jet and a Hawker; Kumar Mangalam Birla owns a Cessna Citation and a Gulfstream (G100). Anil Ambani's Global Express jet from Bombardier Aerospace (also owned by Bill Clinton and Steven Spielberg) is equipped with a vibration and noise control system for meetings, keeping in mind the jet's speed. Ambani also owns a Falcon 7X and a Falcon 2000.
To combat bad traffic and bad roads - and even a fear of kidnapping - India's richest have invested in nifty choppers. According to an article in The Economic Times, India's private chopper clients include Mukesh Ambani (his home Antilla has three helipads) and Niranjan Hiranandani who own choppers from Sikorsky; the Ruis of Essar own two from Bell India, KP Singh, Rahul Bajaj and Naveen Jindal from AgustaWestland. Jindal's office in South Delhi has miniature models of about a dozen aircraft. Vedanta Group Chairman Anil Agarwal has a chopper from Eurocopter.
These helicopters can cost anywhere between a million and $15 million, depending on the machine. There are overhead expenses as well - fuel and maintenance costs, insurance, landing fees can set its owner back by another lakh or two. Depending on the whims of its billionaire buyers, a helicopter can come with all kinds of vanities - a television, a refrigerator, a gaming section, a bar and even a shower.
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While our billionaires park their sleek Lamborghini Gallardos, Maybachs, Rolls Royces, Porsches and Lexus in high-tech private garages and driveways, they also splurge on superfast yachts and boats parked at mooring and marinas across the world.
Spotted once at Port d'Hercule marina (one of the the most desirable mooring in the world) during the Monaco Grand Prix was flamboyant Mallya's e95m Indian Empress, aptly dubbed his "floating home". The super-yacht was bought from a Qatari Sheikh for around Rs 450 crore and has often featured as a backdrop in the glitzy Kingfisher calendar. Famous for its celebrity-studded parties, the yacht has also hosted supermodels Heidi Klum and Petra Nemcova. Lining the wall is expensive art - a Renoir, a Chagall and a large Hussain in the lounge. In another corner is Elton John's piano.
In 2011, however, the yacht was sold and is now chartered back by Mallya for up to 30 days use every year in Europe, according to the agreement valid till 2015. One of the main reasons for this, says a company spokesperson, was the piracy problem in the Red Sea. Currently, Mallya owns a vintage motor yacht called "Kalizma" built in 1906.
Italian yacht builder Ferretti is a favourite among the billionaires, christened the "Maybach or Rolls-Royce of yachting".
Sunny Dewan, the managing director of HDIL, owns a Rs 527 million, 90-foot Ferretti 881. What's more, it comes loaded with technology to fight sea sickness! Anil Ambani and Adi Godrej too own the sleek Ferretti.
Raymond's Singhania's yen for motorsports is evident in his collection of yachts - one, made fully of Burma teakwood, was built by a village of boat makers in Gujarat -, a dhow and speedboats. Some are named after popular James Bond movies: Moonraker, Golden Eye and Octopussy.
Another avid sailor is Binatone Telecom Chairman Gulu Lalvani who loves to unwind aboard his superfast Mangusta (^5 million) and his sporty Riva. The yacht aficionado set up the Royal Phuket Marina in 2002 with an investment of nearly $100 million. He cruises in his Mangusta to Malaysia in two hours and Burma in three hours! He also owns a 32-feet Riva named "Semiramis" ($2 million) bought in Turkey, and family yachts like the Sunseeker 37 Sportsfisher and the Sea Ray Sedan 65 Flybridge. Since his palatial villa is on the Phuket waterfront, he can park his yachts behind his house.
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Race horses and expensive accessories are routine indulgences of the luxury-loving and Mallya is no laggard in this either. Having bought his first race horse at 21, Mallya took over Kunigal Stud Farm in In 1992. Spread over 350-odd acres, the heritage property is located 70 km from Bangalore and is supposed to have been owned by Tipu Sultan at one time and used by the British subsequently. The farm produces around 70 horses a year, half of which are retained by Mallya, who also imports stallions costing over a crore for races. Mallya's brands also sponsor the biggest derbies in India, the McDowell Signature Indian Derby in Mumbai and the Kingfisher Derby in Bangalore.
Mallya also owns a one-of-a-kind Audemars Pigeut Royal Oak. The diamond-studded watch was picked up by him at a charity in France. The proceeds from his lavish buy, he had told Business Standard in a previous interview, went to a Princess Diana charity. Another celebrity who owns an Audemars Pigeut is superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger.
(Ranjita Ganesan in Mumbai contributed to this article)
