Originally Posted by knit-in
Can't say I know the answer to your question, but Vijay Mallya, the creator of the Kingfisher brand (I'm not sure if he's still running UB breweries), was elected to the Upper House of the Indian Parliament (the Rajya Sabha) in 2002. He was elected as an independent candidate supported by one of Congress (I)'s Karnataka state rival Parties. Given the state of India's politics it isn't unlikely that affiliations and loyalties have changed since then, but I can't seem to recall Mallya's relationship to Cong (I).
If you find out differently, do post it here. Its part of an airline's history so not essentially off-topic... or is it?
The beer's great though, and from what I read here the airline's not too shabby either. ^
He also races horses.
Mangalore airport had a Mallya -- relation or not??? -- who was responsible for that airport. He was an associate of Nehru and a MP too -- but passed away forty years ago. I'm just curious if the Mallya of Kingfisher had any prior personal or family relationships with airport or airlines or if this was just part of a desire to be an Indian version of Virgin's Richard Branson.