Downfall of the king: A look at Vijay Mallya’s journey from 1983 to 2016

It’s a story from mythology, when Icarus, the son of a master craftsman, believed a bit too much in the wax wings his father had built for him, and flew too close to the sun.

Few would believe it now, but Vijay Mallya was once a star of corporate India. Taking charge of United Breweries at 28, when his father died, he swept all who came in his way. He was the star of every corporate gathering, often making late, dramatic entries with an entourage, including — some accounts say — a man who carried his two mobile phones on a silver tray.

United Breweries group chairman Vijay Mallaya (C) poses with calendar models during the launch of the 'Kingfisher Swimsuit Special Calendar 2007' in Mumbai,. (AFP)

Until hubris got the better of Mallya, until he tried to soar too high with his beloved Kingfisher Airline. For some time, he played the system like a fiddle, helped by his added status as an MP. Until the day the strings broke. It’s the story of all men, and women, whose successes merely make them greedy for more. It’s a story from mythology, when Icarus, the son of a master craftsman, believed a bit too much in the wax wings his father had built for him, and flew too close to the sun.

The debt

The worth

The liquor baron has almost Rs 4,500 crore in shareholding apart from assets such as primereal estate, a studfarm, a jet and hundreds of vintage cars...