The only Indian in Bahrain to have been conferred the highly-coveted Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award 2021, Babu Rajan K.G, speaks to Behnaz Sanjana about his journey that has led to this honour.
“I am very pleased, very happy to have won this award, the highest honour given to overseas Indians by the Government of India,” says Mr. Babu Rajan, with humble pride reflecting from his gentle visage.
A graduate of Trivandrum Engineering college, Babu Rajan briefly worked with the Indian Government services and then Tata Consultancy Services in erstwhile Bombay, before an unexpected opportunity to work in the Gulf presented itself. “A friend and I reached early for a tender opening event, and noticed interviews being conducted for a job in Saudi Arabia in the same building. With time on hand, I attended the interview, which was conducted by a gentleman who was a pioneer in foundation engineering. They selected me for the job, but I told them that I did not even have a passport!” he recalls of his brush with chance that sealed his destiny. “They were willing to wait for me, and that is how I landed up in Saudi with Al Hoty-Stanger in 1980.”
As junior engineer, Babu Rajan was involved in the mammoth construction of the Saudi- Bahrain causeway. In less than two years, this literally became the bridge for him to cross over to Bahrain, where he started the local office for Al Hoty. Having worked on such a prestigious project in collaboration with expert European counterparts, he had garnered invaluable exposure and experience in the field of geotechnical engineering, and eventually took the leap to start his own business venture.
In the span of his years in Bahrain, Babu Rajan has been instrumental in prominent developments like the Salmaniya Medical Centre, Almoayyed Tower, Seef Mall, Bahrain Financial Harbour, City Centre Bahrain, the Four Seasons Hotel, many of the arterial bridges on the island, and more recently, the new extension of the Bahrain International Airport. “I have worked with organisations like ALBA and BAPCO for over three decades, and it is due to our track record and quality of service that we have managed to maintain strong professional relations with them,” he says.
In spite of heading multiple engineering companies today, the businessman has not forgotten his duty towards society. “Through various social organisations based here, our initiatives are not limited to financial support, but also include educational mentorship and medical aid for the deserving.” he says.
“Indians should be proud to have contributed so much to the development of this part of the world; and we are grateful to the Royal Family for giving us the opportunity for unrestricted professional growth and progress.”
