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| Capt. Gopinath (From my camera) |
Captain G. R. Gopinath is a pioneer of low cost air travel in India. He is the founder of the low cost airline Air Deccan. Captain G. R. Gopinath is a graduate of the National Defence Academy and has served the Indian Army.
Captain Gorur Ramaswamy Iyengar Gopinath (or 'Gopi' to his friends) was born in a Hassan Iyengar family in the remote village of Gorur, Karnataka. He was educated in a village school and at Sainik School, Bijapur. After school he took a commission in the Indian Army with which he served for eight years. Thereafter he became a farmer who converted barren land in to proper plantation. Next, he started the Malnad Mobikes(Enfield dealership)and opened a hotel in Hasan. He currently lives in Bangalore with his wife and 2 daughters, Pallavi and Krithika. In 2009 he stood unsuccessfully as an independent candidate in the Lok Sabha elections. In 2009 Gopinath started Deccan 360 freight and logistics operation.
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In 1995, the Indian government started the reforms process by encouraging entrepreneurship. In the next year he started a private sector commercial helicopter service, Deccan Aviation. In 2003 he launched India's first low-cost airline, Air Deccan which was later purchased and merged into Kingfisher Airlines. His only aim in Deccan was not just to make the air fares as cheap as he could to make it possible for a common man to fly but a venture capital project made into motion and made huge profit by selling entire enterprise to UB Group.
Awards & Honors
1996 - Rolex awards for Enterprise
2005 - Rajyotsava Award (Karnataka)
2007 - Chevalier de la legion d'Honneur (France)
Personality of the Decade Award (K.G. Foundation)
Sir M Visvesvaraya Memorial Award (Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce & Industry)
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| Simply Fly (From internet) |
Books by Gopinath
- Simply Fly: A Deccan Odyssey, Collins Business, 2010.
Page created on 5/13/2011 12:00:00 AM
Last edited 5/13/2011 12:00:00 AM
"Captain G. R. Gopinath, the Managing Director of Air Deccan is a graduate of the National Defence Academy and has served the Indian Army. He is considered the father of low cost air travel in India. He created a whole new market when he launched India`s first low cost airline, Air Deccan.
Capt G R Gopinath or Gorur Ramaswamy Iyengar Gopinath or `Gopi` as he is affectionately called was born in a Hassan Iyengar family of the remote village of Gorur, Karnataka. Starting his studies in a village school, he completed his further schooling at Sainik (military) School, Bijapur. Thereafter he joined the distinguished National Defence Academy and later graduated from the Indian Military Academy as a commissioned officer in the Indian Army. He then went on to serve the Army for eight years.
Sometime in 1995, the Govt. of India started the reforms process by encouraging entrepreneurship. This inspired the entrepreneur in him to identify the tremendous potential Helicopter Charter had in India. Along with an old Army friend he decided to start a private sector commercial helicopter service in 1996. Starting with just one helicopter, today Deccan Aviation boasts of 10 (Ten) Helicopters and two charter jets operating from eight major locations criss-crossing the entire length of the country. This company is India's most reputed private Air Charter Company with a presence now in Srilanka also.
Recipient of several awards such as the Rajyotsava Award by the Government of Karnataka, Personality of the Decade Award instituted by KG Foundation , Editors Choice Award by the Indian Express Trade and Tourism Awards and Sir M Visvesvaraya Memorial Award by the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce & Industry, Capt. Gopinath is hailed to have revolutionized air travel in India. He currently lives in Bangalore with his wife and 2 daughters, Pallavi and Krithika."
