 "Prithvi Raj Singh “Biki” Oberoi , PRS")
In India’s high-end hospitality circles, stories of the legendary Prithvi Raj Singh “Biki” Oberoi are legion. One of them goes like this: he would wear an oversized ring on his index finger to get a sense of the precise gap between the door and its handle. His careful scrutiny was meant to ensure that only those handles were in place that could prevent guests wearing elaborate rings from leaving scratches on the doors of the Oberoi chain of luxury hotels.
Oberoi, who passed away on Tuesday morning, leaves a legacy that has, at its core, exemplary attention to detail and hard work.
The chairman emeritus of Oberoi Group, P R S Oberoi, was 94 and retired only recently from the positions of executive chairman of EIH, the group flagship, and chairman of EIH Associated Hotels.
The hotelier inherited the business from his father, Mohan Singh Oberoi, the pioneering founder of the group that now operates 32 hotels and has a presence in seven countries under multiple brands.
A recipient of the Padma Vibhushan, the country’s second-highest civilian honour, in 2008, Oberoi is survived by his son Vikram, the chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director (MD) of EIH, and two daughters.
Zorawar Kalra, founder and MD of Massive Restaurants, recalled his childhood days accompanying his father, Jiggs Kalra, to meet Oberoi often. Kalra’s father, a celebrated chef, worked closely with Oberoi Group.
In one memorable visit, Oberoi was unimpressed with the yellow yolk of a fried egg served for breakfast. “It wasn’t the fresh and bright orange that he wanted. He instantly got the supplier of the hotel changed.”
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Kapil Chopra, founder and CEO of The Postcard Hotels & Resorts, added that he lived by the lessons learned from Oberoi as a former colleague. The latter interviewed him in 1994 for the position of management trainee at the group. In 2013, Chopra became the president of the company and served until 2018.
Chopra described him as an “inspirational leader with attention to detail, always curious, eager to learn, and very hardworking”.
“Even by the time I was leaving (the group), he was 88 and still putting in 16-hour workdays. You could call him at 10 pm, and your phone would be picked up in three rings. There are so many things to learn from him: there is no shortcut to success; you must always be open and demand the very best,” Chopra said.
He added that Oberoi inspired India to build world-class hotels.
“Today, we talk about Incredible India and Make in India, and building global brands. But imagine saying that 30 years ago. That is his contribution and legacy.”
Riyaaz Amlani, MD of Impresario Entertainment and Hospitality, termed Oberoi’s death the end of an era that was characterised by elegant old-world hospitality, which put guests above all else.
“The attention to detail and the sheer thoughtful luxury that Oberoi introduced were unmatched. A lot of people in hospitality today are products of the Oberoi School, where students are still the most sought-after.”
Leaders from other sectors of the industry and beyond also paid tribute to Oberoi on social media.
Anand Mahindra, chairman of Mahindra Group, wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “His many achievements were never sufficiently recognised. He made ‘Oberoi’ a global byword for the Indian luxury hospitality experience and the first to put an Indian hotel at the very top of global rankings. He also rallied the group heroically but quietly after the 26/11 attack on their Mumbai flagship. He was a class act. Period.”
Minister of State for Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar hailed Oberoi as “without doubt, the man who put Indian hospitality and service on the global map”.
