Niira Radia is a former corporate lobbyist whose taped telephone conversations implicated her influence in the allocation of key ministries in the Government of India in 2009.
26 Facts About Niira Radia
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Discussion of the tapes resulted in the Radia tapes controversy, which was a media event that led to the uncovering of the alleged 2G spectrum scam involving former telecommunications minister A Raja.
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Niira Radia was born on 19 November 1960 in Nairobi, Kenya in an Indian Punjabi Hindu family, her father was businessman Iqbal Narain Menon and her mother was Sudesh Sharma.
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In 1994, the Radias divorced and Niira moved to India as a Person of Indian Origin.
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Between 1988 and 1993 Niira Radia incorporated a string of travel and aviation related companies in London, in which she and her family members were shareholders and held positions such as company secretary and director.
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In 1995 Niira Radia rented an office in Vasant Vihar, Delhi.
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Niira Radia was hired by the Sahara Group in New Delhi, India as an aviation consultant.
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In March 1996 Niira Radia persuaded Singh to quit Sahara Airlines and join her as a business partner in Mumbai.
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At the behest of part-owner Chandu Panjabi, Niira Radia was to work on getting foreign hotel management companies interested in the restoration of Hotel Sea Rock, Bandra that had been damaged in the 1993 Bombay bombings.
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Niira Radia moved from a rented flat in Safdarjung Development Area to a residential estate in Asola.
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Niira Radia arranged for her three sons and her sister to come from London and live in India with her.
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Singh moved in with her and Niira Radia began introducing herself as Singh's wife on social occasions.
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Niira Radia certified herself as Singh's spouse in legal papers.
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In July 1998 Niira Radia incorporated Crownmart International and became its CEO.
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Niira Radia's lawyers informed her that the court order could be stayed by the next morning.
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In 1999 Niira Radia persuaded Ananth Kumar as Minister of Civil Aviation to block the approval for Jet Airways to acquire five new aircraft from ATR, a French-Italian aircraft manufacturer.
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In 2000 Niira Radia attempted to start her own airline, Crown Air, but the Ministry of Civil Aviation declined to give her permission because it failed to meet the requirements for adequate paid-up capital, ownership pattern, equity base and appointment of a chairman.
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Niira Radia joined Crown Air as CEO but went back to Sahara after nine months.
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In 2004 Niira Radia tried to start her own airline by taking over the defunct ModiLuft and renaming it Magic Air.
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Niira Radia failed to get permission because of her foreign citizenship and rules forbidding foreign investment in Indian domestic aviation.
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Apart from the Tata Group Niira Radia handled clients such as Unitech Group, Confederation of Indian Industry, Hindustan Construction Company and the GMR Group.
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From 2005 to 2009 Niira Radia head-hunted a number of senior Indian bureaucrats.
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In 2008 Mukesh Ambani decided to outsource all of Reliance Industries public relations and lobbying work to Niira Radia, who set up Neucom Consulting just for this purpose.
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In 2002 Niira Radia established a charitable trust called Sudesh Foundation in her late mother Sudesh Sharma's memory.
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Niira Radia's son filed contempt of court charges against Singh as the case against him was still pending.
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In May 2011 Radia filed a defamation suit against lawyer RK Anand for his book titled Close Encounters of Niira Radia and described as an unauthorised "tell all" biography about Niira Radia and her activities as a corporate lobbyist.