Hari Harilela facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hari Harilela
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Hari Naroomal Harilela in 1980
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| Born | 10 August 1922 |
| Died | 29 December 2014 (aged 92) Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
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| Occupation | Hotelier, investor |
| Spouse(s) |
Padma Harilela
(m. 1951–2014) |
| Children | Maya Harilela Anita Hariela Aron Hari Harilela Nina Harilela Shakun Harilela Sheila Harilela |
| Parent(s) | Naroomal Lilaram Harilela (deceased) Devibai Harilela (deceased) |
| Relatives | Siblings: George Harilela (d. 2006) Bob Harilela Peter Harilela Gary Harilela Mohan "Mike" Harilela (d.2008) Rani Harilela Hiranand (d.2001) |
Hari Naroomal Harilela (born August 10, 1922 – died December 29, 2014) was a very successful businessman from Hong Kong. He was originally from India. People often called him the richest Indian in Hong Kong.
Hari Harilela was a hotelier, meaning he owned and managed hotels. He also invested in many other businesses. He was known for being a philanthropist, which means he gave a lot of money to help others.
He founded and led the Harilela Group. This company does many things, from owning hotels and real estate to buying and selling goods internationally.
Contents
Early Life and Family History
Hari Harilela was born in 1922 in Hyderabad, Sindh, which was part of British India at the time. Today, this area is in Pakistan.
His father, Naroomal Lilaram Mirchandani, was the first in their family to travel to Hong Kong and Canton (a city in China). He hoped to find success there and opened an antique shop.
Later, his father heard that his mother was very sick back in India. He rushed home, but sadly, she had already passed away. His family had cremated her without waiting for him. This made him very sad and hurt.
Because of this, he decided to change his family name. He combined the names of his parents, Haribai and Lelaram, to create a new surname: Harilela. This is how the Harilela family name began.
In 1930, Hari Harilela moved to Canton with his mother and two brothers to join his father. At one point, his father owned many buildings in China. However, the Great Depression caused big problems for his business.
The family found success again during the Second World War. They sold good quality clothes to British soldiers at fair prices.
Building a Business Empire
Hari Harilela started his own tailoring business in Hong Kong. He opened a shop that made custom-made suits. He also had a new idea: selling these custom suits by mail order. This meant people could order suits from far away.
In his younger years, Hari Harilela often helped solve disagreements between Indian families. He was a good mediator.
By 1959, Hari Harilela realized that the mail order business might not last forever. So, he decided to try new things. He started investing in real estate, which means buying and selling land and buildings.
He also got into the hotel business. In 1959, he started the Harilela Group with his brothers, George and Peter.
By 2014, the Harilela Group owned many hotels around the world. This included 19 major hotels in Hong Kong, like the Holiday Inn Golden Mile. They also had hotels in other parts of Asia, two in Canada, and one in London.
In 2012, Hari Harilela stepped down as the main leader of the company. However, he remained an honorary chairman until he passed away. His son, Aron, took over as the chairman of the Harilela Group.
Helping the Community
Hari Harilela was highly respected in the Indian community in Hong Kong. He had a strong voice and helped with issues affecting ethnic minorities. Important leaders, like Hong Kong's governors and Chief Executives, often asked for his advice. He was also good friends with two former Chief Executives, Tung Chee-hwa and Donald Tsang Yam-kuen.
He was part of important committees that helped shape Hong Kong's future. For example, he was on the Hong Kong Basic Law Consultative Committee in 1985. Later, in the 1990s, he became an advisor to the Chinese government on Hong Kong matters.
He also served as the Honorary Consul for Niger in Hong Kong until 2012. This means he represented Niger's interests in Hong Kong.
Hari Harilela was a member of the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce, which is a very important business group. Through this group, he was chosen to be on the Election Committee that helps elect the Chief Executive of Hong Kong.
He also supported education. He was a Life Regent at Pepperdine University in the United States. He was also an Honorary Court Member of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Giving Back: Philanthropy
Hari Harilela and his wife, Padma, were very generous. They donated a lot of money to universities.
For example, they gave HK$5 million (about 640,000 US dollars) to the Hong Kong Baptist University. Because of their donation, two lecture halls there were named "The Padma & Hari Harilela Lecture Theatres." These halls can seat 250 and 150 students.
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology also received a HK$5 million donation from Dr. Hari N Harilela. This money helped improve teaching and research at the university. A lecture hall there, called LT-C, was also named "The Padma & Hari Harilela Lecture Theatres" in their honor.
Family Life
Hari Harilela was the head of a very large family, with about 80 members. Many of them lived together in a huge 40-bedroom mansion in Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong. The next generation of the family lived in a connecting house nearby.
He was also a member of the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Hari Harilela passed away peacefully at his home in Kowloon Tong on December 29, 2014. He was 92 years old. His wife Padma, his son Aron, and his daughters Nina, Anita, and Shakun were with him. More than 100 members of his big family, including his two surviving brothers and one sister, lived in the mansion at the time of his passing.
Awards and Honours
Hari Harilela received many important awards for his contributions.
- In 1963, he was made a Justice of the Peace.
- He was also awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
- In 2000, he received the Gold Bauhinia Star.
- In 2009, he received the highest honour in Hong Kong, the Grand Bauhinia Medal.
He also received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman from the Government of India. This award recognizes people of Indian origin who have achieved great success abroad.
In 2001, Hari Harilela won a Lifetime Achievement Award at a big hotel industry conference in Asia Pacific.
See also
- Indians in Hong Kong
