P. N. C. Menon Explained

P. N. C. Menon
Birth Date:1948 11, df=y
Birth Place:Vadakkencherry, Malabar District, Madras State, Dominion of India
(present day Palakkad, Kerala, India)
Nationality:Indian
Omani
Alma Mater:Sree Kerala Varma College, Thrissur
Employer:Founder and Chairman of Sobha Ltd.
Occupation:Business
Spouse:Sobha
Children:3

Puthan Naduvakkatt Chenthamaraksha Menon, also known as P. N. C. Menon (born 17 November 1948) is an Omani billionaire businessman[1] born in Palakkad, Kerala. He is the founder and chairman of Sobha Ltd (Formerly Sobha Developers Ltd)[2] [3] [4] & Sobha LLC.[5] [6]

Early Life

Menon was born on 17 November 1948 in the Puthan Naduvakkatt house. He grew and studied in Thrissur, where his father was doing business. At the age of 10, he lost his father, and had to shoulder the responsibility of providing for his family. Financial struggles forced him to abandon his studies after primary education. Afterwards, he dropped out of Sree Kerala Varma College, Thrissur, to do interior decoration business without completing his education.[7] [8]

Biography

At the age of 26, he left Kerala for Oman,[9] where over the years he developed his interior decoration business into a profitable venture. In 1995, he started Sobha Ltd. in Bangalore[10] named after his wife. He is married to Sobha and they have three children: two daughters, Bindu and Revathi, and one son Ravi Menon[11] [12] [13]

The turning point in his career came in the 1990s when Menon identified the opportunities and potential in the real estate sector. He contributed towards building iconic structures like Oman's Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque and Al Bustan Palace.

In 2009, he was honoured with the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Puraskar by the President of India.[14]

Philanthropy

P. N. C. Menon, established the Sri Kurumba Educational & Charitable Trust[15] in 1994, a year before he founded Sobha Developers. The trust adopted Vadakkencherry and Kizhakkancherry - two Panchayats each consisting 2 villages in Palakkad district, Kerala,[16] his native state, in 2006. In the adopted villages, the trust helps families with very low monthly income and provides education to children from 2,500 poor families (about 11000 people).[17]

In 2016, Menon and his wife Sobha joined The Giving Pledge list a philanthropic initiative started by Warren Buffett, former Microsoft chairman Bill Gates and his wife Melinda.[18]

In February 2024, Menon contributed INR 110 million (USD 1.3M) to the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, UAE with the aim to support the ongoing construction and upkeep of the temple, marking a significant milestone in the project.[19]

Awards and honours

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Forecast 2015: PNC Menon. Arabian Business. 26 April 2016.
  2. Web site: Sobha group founder PNC Menon to give 50% of fortune to charity: Report . The Economic Times. 2013-06-04.
  3. Web site: A career built brick by brick . 24 June 2011 . Mint.com. 2013-06-04.
  4. News: Newsmaker: PNC Menon . Business Standard India . 14 March 2013 . Business Standard. 2013-06-04. Bose . Praveen .
  5. Web site: An Inevitable Cycle: Interview with PNC Menon, Sobha Group - Construction Business News Middle East. Construction Business News Middle East. 26 April 2016. en-US. 18 April 2016.
  6. Book: Pnc investments corporate overview. 26 April 2016.
  7. Web site: Meet man, a college dropout, who left home with Rs 50, then went on to build Rs 10,000 crore company, business is.... DNA India.
  8. Web site: PNC Menon: A Businessman By Choice, Billionaire By Chance. Forbes India.
  9. News: Editor. Saifur Rahman, Business. A rags-to-riches developer's story with a difference. 25 April 2016. GulfNews. 21 October 2011.
  10. Web site: Forbes Asia . Arabia-Asia: P.N.C. Menon's Real Estate Empire Spans India and the Gulf. Forbes. 25 April 2016.
  11. Web site: Indian Power List 2011. Arabian Business. 2011-11-08.
  12. Web site: A career built brick by brick. Livemint. 2011-11-08.
  13. Web site: From Rs 50 to over Rs 10,000 crore: The remarkable journey of PNC Menon, founder of Sobha Limited. 24 January 2024.
  14. Web site: From Rs 50 To Rs 14,000 Crore Empire, How College Dropout PNC Menon Built Sobha Limited. 5 April 2024. News18.
  15. News: Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Three Other Indians on Forbes' Philanthropy List. 25 June 2015. indiacsr.in. indiacsr. 2 June 2013.
  16. News: CSR project: Sobha Group's PNC Menon developing Kerala's Palakkad region & educating children. 25 June 2015. The Economic Times. S Sanandakumar. 24 June 2011.
  17. News: PNC Menon - built to last. 25 June 2015. Arabian Business Publishing Ltd.. arabianbusiness.com. 12 April 2013.
  18. News: Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, PNC Menon join The Giving Pledge list - Times of India. 9 June 2016. The Times of India. 1 June 2016.
  19. News: Sobha Founder PNC Menon's INR 110M Gift Boosts BAPS Hindu Mandir - Arabian Post. 10 Feb 2024. Arabian Post. 10 Feb 2024.
  20. News: PNC Menon honoured with Arabian Indian Czar Award. 6 July 2015. The Hindu Business Line. thehindubusinessline.com. Anil Urs. 3 July 2015.
  21. Web site: Management Leadership Excellence Award. cmacalicut.org. CALICUT MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION. 7 April 2015.
  22. Web site: P.N.C Menon, Chairman Emeritus, Sobha Developers receives Golden Peacock Life Time Achievement Award 2014 . goldenpeacockawards.com. 10 June 2015.
  23. News: Dhanam Business Excellence Awards 2013 Announced. https://web.archive.org/web/20150610130824/http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/Dhanam-Business-Excellence-Awards-2013-Announced/2014/06/19/article2287842.ece. dead. 10 June 2015. 10 June 2015. newindianexpress.com. newindianexpress. Express News Service. 19 June 2014.
  24. News: P N C Menon, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Sobha Ltd wins MBA Award 2014 . 7 April 2015. uniquetimes. uniquetimes.org. 27 December 2014.
  25. Web site: PNC Menon. 7 April 2015. FacesofUAE. facesofuae.com. 27 December 2014.
  26. News: Excellence in Business Award for Corporate Social Responsibility' by The Times of India. 7 April 2015. einnews. csr.einnews.com. 6 September 2014.
  27. News: Sate forum of bankers clubs kerala awards 2013. 7 April 2015. keralabiznews.com. keralabiznews.com. 28 December 2013.
  28. News: Business Man of the Year – Mr. PNC Menon. 7 April 2015. NDTV Profit. profit.ndtv.com.
  29. News: Forbes Unveils Top Indian Business Honchos in UAE. 7 April 2015. Outlookindia. outlookindia.com. 27 June 2013.
  30. News: PNC Menon receives the Lifetime Achievement Award at the NDTV Property Awards. 7 April 2015. indiantelevision.com. indiantelevision. 4 Jun 2013.
  31. News: NDTV Property Awards. 7 April 2015. bestmediainfo. bestmediainfo.com. 4 June 2013.
  32. Web site: CWAB'Y Award 2012 Platinum Award of Excellence. constructionworld. 25 April 2016.
  33. Web site: PNC MENON, industrialist and philanthropist, was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman for social service and numerous charitable projects in India. INDIA EMPIRE. indiaempire.com. 4 January 2016.
  34. Web site: India and Oman Bilateral Relations. indemb-oman.org. Indian Embassy, Oman. 4 January 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160118040639/http://indemb-oman.org/inner.aspx?type=Menu&id=16. 18 January 2016. dead.