Dubai-based Indian billionaire B Ravi Pillai grabbed global headlines in June 2022 when he became the first Indian person to purchase an Airbus Helicopter for a staggering price of Rs 100 crore. Unlike the majority of wealthy individuals in India, Ravi Pillai is a self-made billionaire, who built his business from scratch after overcoming crippling poverty during childhood.
Born in a low-income household in Kollam, Kerala, B Ravi Pillai grew up in poverty as his farmer father worked tirelessly to provide for the family. However, despite the family’s dire financial conditions, Ravi Pillai persevered and worked hard to get an education, and later went on to earn a post-graduate degree in business administration from the Kochi University.
Pillai, who also holds a doctorate in philosophy from Excelsior College in New York, started out in the business world when he launched a small business after borrowing Rs 1 lakh, which he later returned after making a profit.
However, Ravi Pillai’s big break came in 1978 when he moved to Saudi Arabia and established his construction company, Nasser S. Al Hajri Corporation. Today, B Ravi Pillai is one of the wealthiest Indian-born billionaires in the Gulf, and a well-known and respected figure in the real-estate and construction sector.
Beyond his business accolades, Ravi Pillai is also renown for his philanthropic ventures, and was accorded the Pravasi Bhartiya Samman in 2008., and Padma Shri Award– India’s highest civilian award– in 2010.
Ravi Pillai has a net worth of $4.1 billion as of November 24, 2025, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires’ List, making him one of the richest Indian-origin individuals in the world.
In June 2022, Ravi Pillai hit global headlines when he became the first Indian to acquire the Airbus H145 helicopter for a staggering Rs 100 crore.
The state-of-the-art helicopter by aerospace giant Airbus can carry two pilots and seven passengers, and has the ability to take off and land from a from a height of 20,000 feet above sea level. The Airbus helicopter also features energy-absorbing seats for additional safety and comfort.
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