![]() Until a few months ago, Rajagopal used to make regular morning visits to some of the outlets in Chennai, tasting the sambar or filter coffee while sitting in the front passenger seat of a white SUV. Another eight stores are slated for launch in India. Even now, among the 40 locations of Saravana Bhavan in Chennai, the model is followed, although the setup has been decentralised to a certain degree.īhavan has 49 outlets in India and 88 outlets abroad. He followed a hub-and-spoke model to ensure that the dishes tasted the same as he expanded. Affordability, consistency in taste and hygiene were the cornerstones. He began his entrepreneurship as a grocer and then took over a shuttered restaurant in KK Nagar, serving the staple menu of idli-vada-dosa. ![]() The latter eventually managed to split the couple in late October 2001, just days before the husband’s body was found in the hills off Kodaikanal.Ī farmer’s son, Rajagopal’s rags-to-riches story began with his migration to Madras, as Chennai was known then, from southern Tamil Nadu. Santhakumar, however, didn’t stay out of sight and met Rajagopal to plead for his life. The aide told his target to stay out of sight and informed Rajagopal of a successful “extermination,” according to court documents. He asked a confidante to murder Santhakumar. Retrieved 18 July 2019.Court documents reveal sustained intimidation and threats–open and veiled– aimed at forcing Santhakumar to leave his wife and coercing her into marrying Rajagopal. "Saravana Bhavan founder P Rajagopal critical, on ventilator". Rajagopal, Restaurant Mogul Convicted of Murder, Dies at 71". ![]() ^ "The spectacular fall of India's 'dosa king' ".^ a b "SC upholds life term of Saravana Bhavan owner for employee's murder".^ a b "Saravana Bhavan founder P Rajagopal sentenced to life for murder, SC upholds conviction".^ "Saravana Bhavan founder gets life for murder".^ "Saravana Bhavan founder gets life term in murder case - TopNews".^ a b "Saravana Bhawan founder P Rajagopal passes away after heart attack in Chennai".^ "Saravana Bhavan owner sentenced to life".^ "Saravana Bhavan founder P Rajagopal dies in Chennai".After transferring from Stanley Medical College Hospital to Vijaya Hospital in Chennai, he died of a heart attack on 18 July 2019. He built a temple in his village called Punnai Sri Srinivasaperumal Kovil.Ī heart attack struck Rajagopal on 13 July 2019 after he surrendered to serve his life sentence on 9 July 2019. By 2019, he had expanded to 111 restaurants in 22 countries, employing about 5,000 people. In 1973, he moved to Madras and started a general provisions store in K K Nagar. His father was an onion seller his mother was a homemaker. Rajagopal was born in Punnaiyadi, a tiny village in Tuticorin District, Tamil Nadu, India. Rajagopal also sought exemption from surrendering and pleaded that his hospitalisation time be treated as time spent behind bars. Although his counsel pleaded for an extension of bail on medical grounds, the plea was rejected by the Supreme Court, which ordered the tycoon to "surrender immediately". Rajagopal surrendered to the authorities on 9 July 2019. As per the order of the Supreme Court, he would have to surrender to the authorities by 7 July 2019 and would have to spend the rest of his days in prison. On 29 March 2019, the Supreme Court of India upheld Rajagopal's murder conviction and life imprisonment. In 2009, the brand value of the restaurant chain plunged after the founder Rajagopal was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Madras High Court after being convicted for the murder of employee Prince Santhakumar in 2001 and sexual harassment of Santhakumar's wife Jeevajothi. However, a judgement was passed which upgraded his prison term to a life sentence, upholding a lower court's conviction. Rajagopal was freed on bail for medical reasons while his case was appealed to the Indian Supreme Court. Santhakumar was kidnapped and his body was found strangled a few days later in a resort town in the Western Ghats mountain range. In 2001, after one attempted murder, he successfully orchestrated the murder of her husband Santhakumar. He orchestrated multiple threats, beatings, and exorcisms against her and her family. On the advice of an astrologer, he obsessively tried to take Jeevajothi, the daughter of one of his assistant managers, as his third wife, but she was already married and rejected him. Several days after his imprisonment, he had a heart attack and died. In later life, he was convicted for a 2001 murder, and began serving a life sentence in July 2019. Born in rural Tamil Nadu into a farming family, and with little education, Rajagopal built a global restaurant chain. Rajagopal (5 August 1947 – 18 July 2019) was the founder of the Saravana Bhavan chain of restaurants based in Chennai, India.
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