A routine visit to Dubai Mallturned into a viral moment after an Instagram user spotted Indian-origin billionaire Puthan Naduvakkatt Chenthamaraksha Menon, popularly known as PNC Menon, and shared a video of the encounter online.
The woman, who goes by Tina Real Estate on Instagram, shared a short clip showing Menon seated inside what appears to be a cafe or lounge at Dubai Mall. In the video, Menon is seen dressed in an all-white outfit with a red pocket square, sitting calmly at a table while talking to a companion. Text over the video reads, “Who is this Indian billionaire that I met?”
Watch the video below:
The video quickly drew reactions from social media users, many of them humorous. “You can ask him for property discount and he won’t refuse,” one user joked.
{{/usCountry}}The video quickly drew reactions from social media users, many of them humorous. “You can ask him for property discount and he won’t refuse,” one user joked.
{{/usCountry}}Another commented, “He was just enjoying Dubai quietly… and now boom, accidental billionaire reveal.”
Some, however, urged restraint. “Not good .. leave them alone.. give them their time and privacy,” one user wrote.
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About PNC Menon
PNC Menon is the founder and chairman of Sobha Group, a multinational real estate and construction group with a significant presence in India and the Middle East. According to a Gulf News report, the Sobha Group supports over 50,000 families worldwide through its various operations.
Menon left Kerala in 1976 and migrated to Oman, where he started an interior decoration business with a partner. Spotting opportunities back home, he founded Sobha Developers in Bengaluru in 1995, naming the company after his wife. While Sobha Developers in India is now run by his son Ravi, an engineer from Purdue University, Menon continues to live in Dubai and oversees Sobha Realty’s Middle East operations across the UAE, Qatar, Oman and other Gulf countries.
In 2024, Ravi Menon formally took over as chairman of the Sobha Group. According to Forbes, PNC Menon’s net worth is estimated at $3.5 billion.