Vijay Mallya’s name was once synonymous with high life, luxury, and extravagance. Unfortunately, he has now become a symbol of corporate malfeasance and financial irresponsibility in recent years. He inherited the United Breweries Group, his family business, which focused on producing and distilling alcoholic drinks.
Surprisingly, he restructured the business and expanded into several industries, including aviation, alcoholic beverages, and even the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket team, Royal Challengers Bangalore. Mallya’s charisma and marketing acumen made him known as the “King of Good Times.”
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However, if someone asks about Vijay Mallya today, many people will definitely tell you that he is a thief who looted the country’s money. Due to his role in the infamous IDBI bank loan default case of Rs. 720 crore and many other scams, he is now referred to as “the monarch of loan defaulters.”
Although the country is well aware of the long list of financial problems linked to Vijay Mallya, there is a comparatively unknown aspect of his life that tells a different type of compelling story. This story explores the fascinating periods of his personal life, including the controversies surrounding his third purported wife, Pinky Lalwani, and his first and second wives, Sameera Tayabji and Rekha Mallya.
Now, let’s begin this fascinating voyage of Mallya’s interpersonal relationship that tells us more about him:
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1. Sameera Tayabji – Vijay Mallya first wife
During a 1986 business trip to the USA, Vijay Mallya experienced a transformative experience on an Air India aircraft. He fell in love at first sight with air hostess Sameera Tayabji, and their whirlwind romance led to a swift marriage in the same year. Shortly after their wedding, they welcomed their son, Sidhartha Vijay Mallya. The family moved to England in search of a fresh start. However, because of their ongoing marital conflicts, their marriage quickly started to fall apart. Ultimately, their marriage ended in divorce in just one year.
Even though their son Sidhartha was still a baby at the time, he eventually learned of his parents’ divorce, which was a devastating truth for him to accept. Sidhartha eventually discussed the adverse effects of his parents’ divorce on his mental health in his book “If I’m Honest.”
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2. Rekha – Vijay Mallya second wife
In 1993, after divorcing Sameera Tayabji, Vijay Mallya’s life took an unexpected turn. During this time, Rekha, his childhood crush, was about to end her second marriage to Shahid Mahmood, and they reconnected again. This unexpected encounter became the turning point in their lives. As anticipated, Vijay Mallya proposed to Rekha, and she accepted, sealing their fate as a couple.
Before getting married to Vijay Mallya, Rekha was married twice before. She was first married to coffee grower Pratap Chettiappa. Following their split, she married Shahid Mahmood, with whom she had two kids, Kabir and Laila.
However, following her divorce from Shahid Mahmood, Vijay Mallya and Rekha retained the custody of Laila. Interestingly, Vijay Mallya welcomed Laila into his life with open arms and accepted her as his own daughter wholeheartedly. Furthermore, in the course of their marriage, they celebrated the arrival of two daughters, Leanna and Tanya.
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However, according to reports, Vijay Mallya and Rekha also got separated. But there is now confirmation of their divorce.
3. Pinky Lalwani – Vijay Mallya’s third wife
Though the details of Vijay Mallya’s divorce from his second wife, Rekha, are still mostly unknown, there have long been rumors that the millionaire would get married a third time. Indeed, there have been recurring reports about his close friendship with the former Kingfisher Airlines employee, Pinky Lalwani. Pinky Lalwani’s frequent appearances beside Mallya during court appearances about his legal struggles gave validity to these rumors.
If these rumors are accurate, it seems like Vijay Mallya and Pinky Lalwani have been living together for a while. The pair appears happy with their private lives as they are, despite the uncertainty surrounding their plans for a legal marriage at this time.
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