18 Facts About Vijay Mallya

1. Vijay Mallya is the subject of an extradition effort by the Indian Government to return him from the UK to face charges of financial crimes in India.

2. Son of a businessman who was in the alcoholic beverages business, Vijay Mallya is the ex-chairman of United Spirits, the largest spirits company in India, and continues to serve as chairman of United Breweries Group, an Indian conglomerate with interests including beverage alcohol, aviation infrastructure, real estate, and fertilizer.

3. Vijay Mallya was the founder and former owner of defunct Kingfisher Airlines and former co-owner of the Force India Formula One team before it went into administration.

4. Vijay Mallya is a former owner of the Royal Challengers Bangalore cricket team.

5. Vijay Mallya was educated at La Martiniere Calcutta, where he was appointed House Captain of Hastings house in his final year, and at St Xavier's College, Kolkata, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1976.

6. Vijay Mallya is reported to be preparing to marry for the third time, to former Kingfisher Airlines air-hostess Pinky Lalwani.

7. Vijay Mallya is an ardent devotee of Lord Venkateshwara of Tirupati, Sabarimala Ayyappa and Kukke Subrahmanya.

8. In 2012, Vijay Mallya ceded management control of United Spirits Limited to global spirits giant Diageo, retaining a minority stake in the business.

9. In February 2015 Vijay Mallya was forced to resign as chairman of United Spirits, and he contracted to receive a $75 million severance payment as part of that deal, but the courts in India have blocked that payment.

10. Previously a member of the Akhila Bharata Janata Dal, Vijay Mallya joined the Subramanian Swamy-led Janata Party in 2003 and was its National Working President until 2010.

11. Vijay Mallya was elected to the Rajya Sabha as independent member twice from his home state of Karnataka, first in 2002 with the support of the Janata Dal and Indian National Congress and then in 2010 with the support of the Janata Dal and BJP.

12. Vijay Mallya co-owned the Formula One team Force India from 2007 to 2018.

13. Vijay Mallya dismissed the proceedings against him – calling the situation a "witch hunt".

14. Vijay Mallya said "There's nothing to miss" for him about India, since his immediate family has all moved to England or the United States.

15. On 16 June 2018 Vijay Mallya was ordered to pay £200,000 to Indian banks by a United Kingdom court.

16. The trial did not go ahead since Vijay Mallya drew up a settlement with UBS.

17. Vijay Mallya was instructed to pay legal costs of £1,047,081 and receivers' costs of £223,863.

18. In July 2019, Vijay Mallya was granted permission to appeal to London's High Court against his extradition.