Remembering PRS Oberoi: A visionary who focussed on being the best

PRS Oberoi, chairman emeritus of Oberoi Group, died on Tuesday. He was 94. (File image via X/@OberoiHotels)

I remember it was twilight, dusk had not yet settled over, and as was usual for me, I was walking with Mr Oberoi to drop him off at the main porch of the Trident in Gurgaon, a hotel that we opened just about thirty days back in 2005. Mr Oberoi suddenly stopped, turned to look at me straight in the eye and said “Kapil, never compromise. I want you to remember this one thing. Whenever you compromise on even the smallest detail the compromise will reflect on our guest’s experience. Make that your one rule.”

This exchange flashed in my mind when I woke up to the news of Mr Oberoi’s passing. The words went on to become an operating rule for me, and as I continued working at Oberoi Hotels I realised that’s the man he was: He never compromised. Mr Oberoi always demanded the very best, never took no for an answer, went beyond what was in vogue and always had a 30-40 year vision on building concepts.

The Best And The Biggest

He famously often repeated: “Never try to be the biggest but always be the best.” This is where I draw a parallel between two legends of our generation, Steve Jobs and PRS Oberoi: They built products that they were proud of. Steve Jobs emphasised the importance of creating products that were so exceptional that he would feel comfortable recommending them to his friends and family.

Mr Oberoi was proud of the hotels he built. He never compromised on trying to sign up a hundred hotels, his focus was always quality over quantity and I believe that is his real DNA and legacy that will live on through a lot of people who worked at The Oberoi in their formative years.

I remember quite a few distinct traits about him: One, his focus on justbeing the very best; two, not being measured by the yardstick that the market had in mind, often whether you are expanding fast enough; Three, focus on learning and people development. For instance, for many years no individual in a management position was hired in the company unless Mr Oberoi was personally present in the final round of interview.

PRS Oberoi’s Legacy

This was absolutely great as that is how he maintained a vigorous check on what an Oberoi manager would be. As once told to me by the chairman of a leading media company when I met him, “you can spot a person who has worked at Oberoi hotels from a distance” – something which will remain a lasting legacy for our business.

He started Make In India, 30 years ago, when it was not in vogue and made the whole world look at Indian hospitality as the best in the world. We had the best hotels in the world, as far as three decades ago, and he had the vision to build them better than the best in spite of widespread sarcasm about who will go and stay in these modern palaces.

The awards came rolling in, the guests were stunned and the US Embassy had to use immense clout to get the Presidential Suite confirmed for the then President Bill Clinton to stay at The Oberoi Rajvilas. That is what he had created on the outskirts of Jaipur. A hotel beyond comparison and amongst the best in the world.

Travel well Sir, you will continue to inspire us all, may your soul rest in celestial peace.

Kapil Chopra was President of The Oberoi Group from 2013 to 2018. He is the Founder of EazyDiner and The Postcard Hotel. Views are personal, and do not represent the stance of this publication.