Notable Roles | - Founder and CEO, FoodKing Catering Services (2006–present) |
Key Recognition | - Pepsi MTV Youth Icon award (2008), Example to Youth Award, CNN‑IBN Young Indian Leader Award (2011) |
Background and Early Foundations
Sarath Babu Elumalai was born on 10 November 1979 in Madipakkam suburb of Chennai, Tamil Nadu. His mother, Deepa Ramani, was an Anganwadi worker who made idlis and sold them to support a family of five children. He faced acute poverty, missing meals and struggling with school fees. He earned a scholarship to study Chemical Engineering at BITS Pilani, then worked for Polaris Software to clear debts before entering IIM Ahmedabad for his MBA. In 2006, he launched FoodKing with ₹2 000 seed capital, beginning a mission to offer affordable meals and dignity for poor workers. He rejected corporate jobs, instead choosing social entrepreneurship. His efforts expanded via Hunger Free India advocacy, youth empowerment initiatives and grassroots leadership in education and food security.
Career Milestones and Impact
Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
2001 | Started small engineering company in Kerala; closed due to labor dispute |
2003 | Moved to Saudi Arabia; founded Nasser S Al Hajri Corporation with 150 employees |
2006 | Expanded NSH across Gulf infrastructure, oil and gas contracts |
2009 | Diversified into hospitality (Leela, Raviz hotels), healthcare, real estate, education |
2009–2011 | Group workforce >100 000 across 20 countries with 20 companies |
2010 | Net worth estimated at US $3.3–3.9 billion; Forbes ranked among top billionaires in Gulf region |
- Launched FoodKing with ₹2 000 seed capital; grew to ₹80 million turnover by 2011 and operations in 5 cities
- Employs hundreds in catering services targeting educational institutions and corporate clients
- Founded Hunger Free India initiative, advocating food security and community feeding programs (launched 2010)
Leadership Style and Influence
Sarath Babu rose from slum conditions in Chennai, selling idlis with his mother to support his siblings and pay for education. Despite early poverty, he pursued engineering at BITS Pilani and earned an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad on scholarship. Rejecting a secure corporate offer, he launched FoodKing on a tiny budget to offer affordable meals and employment to marginalized workers. His ethos of service and empowerment led him into politics and social initiatives, including Hunger Free India. His work symbolizes dignity through opportunity and food access as a human right.
Legacy and Future Focus
Sarath’s legacy centers on sustainable social entrepreneurship—turning personal hardship into community uplift. He models how business can be a force for inclusion and dignity. As he continues expanding FoodKing, he also promotes education initiatives, free coaching, food drives and policy influence around hunger. His vision remains rooted in feeding India’s underserved and inspiring youth from disadvantaged backgrounds to rise through enterprise.
