Flight Mode

Known for his uncanny lifestyle, futuristic businesses, and the habit of staying in the news, Virgin Group Founder Richard Branson seems to have a strong liking for all things that fly. Take, for instance, his fondness for kitesurfing, an aquatic sport that requires riding on a surfboard while holding on to a large power kite that can be manoeuvred by the rider. Branson, the man behind Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Galactic, was in Mumbai this year to start a new flight to London. During his visit, Branson said that he is fond of kitesurfing and loves new challenges.

Around two years ago, Branson offered to teach kitesurfing to former US President Barack Obama who was vacationing with wife Michelle Obama at the British Virgin Islands. Obama not only learnt the sport but got the better of him in a competition during the vacation.

The 69-year-old recently revealed during his visit here that he has ancestral roots in India. "I have done a saliva test. I knew that the past generations of Bransons were living in India, but I didn't realise how strong the connections were. It turned out that since 1793, we have had four generations living in Cuddalore [in Tamil Nadu], and my great-great-grandmother was an Indian married to one of the Bransons," he said.