The Burj Khalifa is the crown jewel of Dubai's iconic landscape. Owning a property in the towering skyscraper is considered one of the ultimate marks of luxury and success. Apartments in the Burj Khalifa are sought after among India's wealthiest. In fact, Indians own around 150 apartments of the 900 that Burj Khalifa offers. And an Indian is reportedly the biggest property owner of Burj Khalifa. That too, a man who once worked as a mechanic and scripted an inspiring rags-to-riches story: Meet George V Nereamparambil.
George was born in Kerala to a family which did not have a lot of money. He began working even before he turned a teenager. At 11, he was working for his father helping him transport and trade cash crops. George also worked as a mechanic before making it big.
The turning point came in 1976 when he arrived in Sharjah. He realised that with the booming middle-east economy, there was massive potential in the air conditioning sector amid the desert heat. He gradually turned the business idea into a massive empire today called the GEO Group of Companies, becoming one of the most prominent Indian business tycoons in the Gulf region.
Nereaparambil’s interest in the costly properties of Burj Khalifa began with an interesting incident where a relative teased him saying that he couldn’t enter the Burj Khalifa. What George did next was to rent an apartment in the building in 2010. But he was just beginning as he acquired a total of 22 luxury apartments in Burj Khalifa over the years. Not one to be shy about flaunting his wealth, George’s apartments’ walls, ceilings and floors are reportedly covered in decor made up of gold. And what more, he is open to increasing his Burj Khalifa property portfolio.
