C. K. Menon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cheril Krishna Menon
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| Born | 18 September 1949 |
| Died | 1 October 2019 (aged 70) |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Lawyer |
| Spouse(s) | Jayasree K. Menon |
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Cheril Krishna Menon (born September 18, 1949 – died October 1, 2019) was a successful Indian businessman and a kind person who gave a lot to charity. He was the head of Behzad Corporation, a big company based in Qatar that also worked in many other countries. He received two very important awards from the Indian government: the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman in 2006 and the Padma Shri in 2009. He passed away at the age of 70 after being ill for some time.
Contents
About Cheril Krishna Menon
Early Life and Education
Krishna Menon was born in Thrissur, a city in the Indian state of Kerala, on September 18, 1949. His parents were Cheril Karthyayani Amma and Puliyamkott Narayanan Nair. His father was a local businessman who worked in transport.
He went to school at Church Mission Society High School in Thrissur. After that, he studied at St. Thomas College, Thrissur. He earned a degree from Sree Kerala Varma College, Thrissur. Later, he studied law at the Law College in Jabalpur. He started his career as a lawyer at the High Court of Kerala in Kochi. He worked there for two years before moving to Qatar in 1976.
Building a Business Empire
In 1978, Menon started Behzad Corporation in Doha, Qatar. It was a company that transported fuel. He started it with a partner named Ali Bin Nasser Al Misnad, who was from Qatar. Over the years, his business grew a lot. He started working in many different areas like finance, media, steel, and building projects. His company had offices in the Middle East, America, Europe, and India.
Besides leading Behzad Corporation, he was also a director for other companies. These included Behzad Fuels (UK) Limited and Infrastructure Kerala Limited (INKEL). He was also involved with TV channels like JaiHind TV and Symphony TV. He was the chairman of Al Barakah Financial Services Limited, which was the first Islamic non-banking finance company in Kerala.
Helping the Community
Krishna Menon was known for his generous spirit. He was listed as one of the richest non-resident Indians in the Middle East in 2011. However, he used his wealth to help others. He was part of many government groups that worked for the public good.
He was a permanent director and vice chairman of Norka Roots. This group helps people from Kerala who live outside India. He also served on the board of directors for the India Development Foundation of Overseas Indians. This trust helps non-resident Indians give money to charity. He was also a member of the Security Advisory Council for Civil Aviation in India. He was the chairman of Bhavan's Public School in Doha, Qatar.
Giving Back to People
Krishna Menon was a true philanthropist, meaning he loved to help people. He built and gave away more than 100 homes to families living in poor areas in Thrissur. He also worked with the Laksham Veedu Project. This was a government project in Kerala to build homes for many families.
He was a big supporter of the Adarsh Charitable Trust. This group runs programs, including a school for children with special needs in Kochi. He also helped the School of Bhagavat Gita in Thiruvananthapuram. He even donated a mosque to the Muslim community.
Awards and Special Recognitions
Krishna Menon received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman from the Indian government in 2006. This award is given to people of Indian origin living abroad who have made great contributions. Three years later, in 2009, the government honored him again. He received the Padma Shri, which is one of the highest civilian awards in India.
In 2011, he received the Federal Bank Kerala Business Award from the World Malayali Council. He also got the 2012 Qatar National Award from the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue.
Family Life
Menon was married to Jayasree K. Menon. They had three children together.
He often sponsored the Pulikkali festival in his hometown. This is a colorful folk art where people dress up as tigers. He also supported the Maha Shivaratri celebrations at the Vadakkumnathan Temple in Thrissur.
His Passing
On September 18, 2019, his 70th birthday, Menon became ill with a viral fever. This later turned into pneumonia. He was getting treatment in Kochi, where he had lived for several years. When his condition got worse, he was moved to Apollo Hospital in Chennai. He passed away there on the night of October 1, 2019. He was buried with full state honors at his family home in Thrissur. He is survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren.
See also
- List of Nairs
- World Malayali Council
- Department of Non Resident Keralites Affairs
