PRS Oberoi tribute: Building the best, 30 years ahead of time

Where do you even begin when talking about a living legend? I had the good fortune of working for Mr PRS Oberoi directly for over 14 years and what an education it was. 

Enough has been said about his attention to detail, his guest focus and his life as a legendary hotelier. This tribute is about his risk taking ability and his focus on building the best in India. Imagine an India, 30 years back and the resolve of a hotelier to say, that we will build the best hotels in the world here.

For us to make that comment now is easy. 30 years back, the airports in Jaipur and Udaipur were practically non existent and the roads in poor condition- how does one build the best hotels in the world in these destinations? How do you even get to these places and how do you build a world class product when even iconic palaces were selling at less than $100 a night?

That is why they are legends- visionaries beyond their time, and that for the Indian hotel business was Mr Oberoi. He believed in the India story much before anyone else did. He was confident that Indian hotels could be the best in the world both from a product and service perspective. A new team was assembled to launch these hotels and his son Vikram was the first GM of The Oberoi Rajvilas.

All the chips were at stake to make the hotel work, and work it did, the initial years were tough and loss making but today the Oberoi Resorts have not only brought fame and acclaim to the brand and the country but are the most profitable hotels per room in India. Great projects take half a lifetime but his faith and commitment in creating the best hotels never waned. Arjun, the current Chairman, was involved in building them with him and Vikram in running them. A force totally committed to building great hotels. 

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That lead from the front ability irrespective of being in his late 80’s was always there. He wept when he took a round of The Oberoi Mumbai post the terror attacks, the hotel was destroyed, and so many team members and guests lost their lives. He took care of everything and started planning the rebuild.

His response to the terror attack was that The Oberoi, Mumbai will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes and he will create the best city hotel in the world to show the world that we will not be cowed down. It was his way of rebutting the terrorists and showing the world. 

His risk taking ability, was again at the forefront while renovating The Oberoi, New Delhi. He believed it was an icon in the city but 50 years since its opening, was looking a bit tired. The consensus was that it was too much of a risk to shut it down completely, and that a part renovation would protect profits of the most profitable hotel in the company.

He was clear, there are no short cuts or compromises to success. The Oberoi, New Delhi was to be his last masterpiece as it was the first luxury hotel that opened in 1965. Maybe a tribute from him to his legendary father and a reminder to every Indian of his everlasting legacy in the heart of Delhi. 

Travel well and rest in peace, Sir.

(The author is the Founder of The Postcard Hotels.) 

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