Ryuko Hira (born 30 May 1948), formerly known as Kamlesh Punjabi, is an Indian-born investor, philanthropist, and businessman based in Japan. He serves as the president of HMI Hotel Group and the Ora Group of companies.
According to a 2018 report in the Japan Times, Hira was identified as the largest individual Indian investor in Japan at that time, with investments estimated at approximately US$2.5 billion and a net worth exceeding US $10 billion.[1] In 2022, Hira was awarded by the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honor, due to his work in trade and industry.[2] Indian and Japanese media have reported Hira's involvement in initiatives focused on economic relations between Japan and India.
Early life
Ryuko Hira was born in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, in the Parijat Bungalow, which today houses Dena Bank.[citation needed][3] He completed part of his schooling in Mumbai, attending Hill Grange High School and later Sitaram Prakash High School, where he obtained a Secondary School Certificate from the Maharashtra Board of Education. Hira graduated in gemology from the Gemological Institute of America (G.I.A.) and attended a 12-week course at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. He later completed a Japanese language course at Sophia University in Tokyo, and then a diploma in character development from the Institute of Sathya Sai Education, Japan.[4]
Family background
Hira's family history can be traced back to the eighteenth century, with the birth of his great-grandfather Seth Jagatrai in Hyderabad, Sindh Province (in what is now West Pakistan). The family was also known as the Jagtianis due to having the same filial name. The family had a history of procuring jewels and ornaments from Muslim royalty, or Mirs.[citation needed]
The Jagtianis spread out over four generations and expanded their trading business beyond the Indian subcontinent and into Southeast Asia and Japan. The Anglo-Japanese Alliance between 1902 and 1922, allowed 50 Indian companies to set up their operations in Japan. Hira's uncle, Pitamberdas Merghraj, first partnered with the firm of Dalamals in Yokohama during this period. He then began independently exporting silk from Yokohama to British India in 1918. The business met with success,and he was joined by other family members. Due to the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, his business was shifted to Kobe. A new focus became buying cultivated corals, cultivated in Shikoku and processed in Kobe for export to India. However, the damage from the earthquake had caused severe setbacks. The coral cultivation industry stopped during the Korean War due to the danger of sea mines.[citation needed]
The post-World War II period saw rapid industrialisation and modernisation in Japan. Hira's two brothers, Lokram and Chandiram, established offices in Singapore, Thailand, and Hong Kong in 1950, and then started visiting Japan to study its business potential. Hira experienced personal loss when his father, Khemchand, his second uncle, Parsram, and his eldest brother, Lokram, died in the same year. After the deaths of the three senior family members, Hira was given the responsibility of managing the business in support of his brother Chandiram.
While in Hong Kong, Hira learned the business under the guidance of Chandiram. The business office moved to Tokyo in 1966, and the company became one of the most prominent foreign businesses in Japan. The family business was featured in a one-hour special documentary hosted by Japan's National Television, NHK, airing on 2 December 1984. After the death of Shri Chandiram in 1986, the family estate was divided, and Hira took over the real estate development portion. In the same year, Hira founded the Ora Group of Companies.[4]
Seth Kundamal Chandumal Panjabi in 1890. Hira's grandfather was the founder of V. Kundamal Chandumal Jewellers.
Seth Khemnchand Kundamal Panjabi in the 1960s. Hira's father.
Seth Parsram Viroomal Panjabi in the 1940s. Hira's uncle.
Hira with his brothers (from the left): Rajesh, Chandiram, Hiro, Kamlesh (Ryuko), and Premji.
Career
Hira has been active in Japanese investments and real estate for over 55 years. He began by investing in Sunroute Hotel Systems Co., Ltd. in 1970. Since then, he has been active in developing tourism infrastructure such as railways, transportation, seaports, airports, and airline businesses.
Hotel Management International (HMI Hotel Group) Ltd. is his hotel management company, developed in 1985. HMI Hotel Group is engaged in the ownership and management of hotels and resorts, property development, and construction of new towns, housing complexes, and hotels. HMI Hotel Group now receives more than 13.7 million guests annually, and was ranked the 8th largest hotel chain in Japan by the Nikkei Marketing Journal as of 11 November 2020[5]. HMI currently owns and manages 45 hotels in 24 prefectures of Japan, under 7 different brands (Hotel Crown Palais, Hotel Pearl City, Creston Hotels, Ryokans, Resort Hotels, Hotel Wellness, and Top Wellness).
Hira's group of companies also specialises in proprietary hotel management businesses, hotel management services, services for raising capital using building leases and trusts, hotel planning and development services, property management services, technical consulting services, and hotel suppliers. HMI also played a large part in the real estate development of the Naha Airport Terminal Co., Ltd., Kitakyushu Air Terminal Co., Ltd., and Kobe Airport Terminal Co., Ltd.
Some of the major hotels under his management include:
Rizzan Sea-Park Hotel, the largest hotel in Okinawa with 826 rooms.
Harborland Centre Building, a large-scale complex building facing the JR Kobe station.
Tsumagoi Resort - Sai No Sato, an expansive, green, and lush 140-hectare resort renowned for music and sports events.
Ryuko Hira with President Jacques Chirac of France during the G8 Summit of 2000 in Rizzan Sea-Park Hotel
Ryuko Hira with Prime Minister Jean Chrétien of Canada during the G8 Summit of 2000 in the Rizzan Sea-Park Hotel
HMI group signed a Memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the government of Uttar Pradesh, about their hotel development businesses, at the UP Global Investor Summit 2023 held in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, on 11 February 2023. The MOU involves developing 30 chain hotels and acquiring existing national hotel operations in commercially viable business and tourism destinations. In conjunction with U.P.'s economic and tourism growth plans, this is an investment of ¥130 billion (US$1 billion x ¥130) and approximately 10,000 jobs.[6]
Social contributions
Hira has been elected to many advisory councils and appointed to roles across several organisations in Japan. He became the first Indian director of the Japan-India Association in June 2004. He is also the representative director of Sai Hira India Foundation, an organization that "attempts to benefit Japan and India through tourism, economics, philosophy, and culture", according to them.
He has actively promoted Indian culture and its traditional values in Japan. He sponsored five Hindu prayer halls across Japan, which provide community service by cooking food for the homeless. Hira's association with Sathya Sai Publications Japan, inspired by Sri Sathya Sai Baba and his teachings, is of great importance to him.
Sri Sathya Sai Prayer Halls in Japan
Sri Sathya Sai Prayer Hall in Tokyo, Tokyo Prefecture
Sri Sathya Sai Prayer Hall in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Sri Sathya Sai Prayer Hall in Osaka, Osaka Prefecture
Sri Sathya Sai Prayer Hall in Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture
In October 2017, the 72nd Arts Festival by the Agency of Cultural Affairs in Japan, and the '2017 - The Year of Japan-India Friendly Exchanges' which was adopted by the governments of Japan and India, were conducted. During this, the great Indian epic 'Mahabharata' was produced by the National Kabuki Theatre in Japan under the title 'The War Chronicles of Mahabharata'. The production was delivered in a traditional Kabuki-style art form. Renowned Kabuki actors such as Onoe Kikunosuke, Bando Tamasaburo, and Onoe Kikugoro VII were part of its cast. As a commemoration of the 70th year of Indo-Japan relations, and the centenary anniversary of the Indian Commerce and Industry Association Japan (ICIJ), Hira and the Okinawa-India Friendship Association hosted a special screening of 'The War Chronicles of Mahabharata'.[citation needed]
Ryuko Hira alongside President of India Ramnath Kovind, First Lady of India Madam Savita Kovind, during the foundation stone ceremony for the Sri Sathya Sai Sanathana Samskruti in Japan in October 2019.
Ryuko Hira with the Dalai Lama during his visit to Okinawa Prefecture in November 2009.
Prime Minister of India P.V. Narasimha Rao with Ryuko Hira during the Inauguration of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences in November 1991.
In July 2023, the Sai Hira Global Convention Centre was inaugurated by Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, in the presence of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh Abdul Nazeer, at Prashanti Nilayam, Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh. During the inauguration, the Prime Minister spoke on the potential and significance of the convention centre, his connection to Sri Sathya Sai Baba, and specifically mentioned his close relationship with Ryuko Hira during his address. Hira was felicitated and honored during the ceremony by the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust for his contributions to the Sathya Sai Community. The Prime Minister's official website reports, 'The Convention Centre donated by philanthropist Shri Ryuko Hira is a testament to the vision of promoting cultural exchange, spirituality, and global harmony.'[8][9]
Sai Hira Global Convention Centre
Prime Minister of India - Narendra Modi addressing the gathering at the inauguration of Sai Hira Global Convention Centre
Ryuko Hira being felicitated by Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust during the inauguration of 'Sai Hira Global Convention Centre'
Involvement in Indo-Japan relations
Over the decades, Hira has played a vital role in coordinating agreements, memorandums, and the like amongst various tier governments of India and Japan. Some prominent examples of Hira's contribution as a coordinator can be noted in the following memorandums:
Chronological list of memoranda involving Ryuko Hira's contribution
In April 2016, he delivered a lecture at the Ceremonial Occasion Research Institute Co., Ltd, about the culture of ceremonial occasions in India. Hira was also involved in the tourism and transport sectors during Prime Minister Modi's official visit to Japan in November 2016 and October 2018, as well as Prime Minister Abe's official visit to India in September 2017. Hira has participated in the G20 Tourism Ministers' Meeting held in Niseko, Hokkaido, wherein he also attended the Indo-Japan bilateral tourism conference. In October 2019, Hira was instrumental in the launch of the new ANA flight route from Narita to Chennai and attended its inauguration ceremony.[citation needed]
Ryuko Hira with Governor Naomichi Suzuki of Hokkaido Prefecture during the G20 Tourism Ministers' Meeting in October 2019.
Ryuko Hira with Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, during the Aichi-India Friendship Agreement in September 2014.
Sai Hira India Foundation was accredited in the 'Memories of Their Majesties in India 53 years ago' exhibition in November 2013.
Ryuko Hira with Prime Minister of Japan - Shinzo Abe and Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry of Japan - Yasutoshi Nishimura
Ryuko Hira with Ambassador of India to Japan, H.E. Sanjay Kumar Verma, and other dignitaries during the Narita-Chennai flight inauguration in October 2019.
Ryuko Hira with the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, in July 2023
Ryuko Hira guiding Prime Minister of India - Narendra Modi at the JNTO Robot Pavilion during his State visit in October 2018
In 2022, the president of India conferred on Hira the Padma Shri award for his contribution to the field of trade and industry, recognizing his role as a senior business leader in Japan, instrumental in promoting India-Japan relations.[2]
In 2022, Hira was honoured jointly by the Cabinet Office of Japan and the Director of the Okinawa General Bureau for his substantial contribution to the tourism and land transportation industries in Okinawa Prefecture. Apart from this, he has also been conferred with several Japanese travel and tourism industry awards.[12]
In 2010, the president of India conferred on Hira the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award for his entrepreneurship and his contribution to the Indian community in Japan in the cultural, economic, and social fields.[13]
In 1992, Hira was honoured for his contribution to and lectures on Buddhism at the 'First Conference in Korea for Teachers to Introduce Human Values (EHV)' by the Sathya Sai Organization of Korea at Dongguk University, Seoul, Korea.[14]
Ryuko Hira being conferred the National Award of Honor by Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Tetsuo Saito, in April 2024
Ryuko Hira being awarded Padma Shri in March 2023
Ryuko Hira amongst fellow Pravasia Bharatiya Samman Awardees in 2010
Ryuko Hira being honored in Okinawa in 2022
Ryuko Hira being felicitated by Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust during the inauguration of 'Sai Hira Global Convention Centre' in July 2023
Ryuko Hira being awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award by President Pratibha Patil in January 2010.
Publications
Hira has written and published 61 articles in major Japanese daily newspapers to raise India's visibility among Japanese readers. In 1974, Hira sponsored and supported 13 Japanese scholars for the publication of the first Sanskrit, Hindi to-Japanese Dictionary. In addition, the same team translated and published nine volumes of the great Indian epic 'Mahabharata,' Vedas, and Upanishads, works of Sri Adi Shankaracharya, several books on Buddhism, Sikhism, and a compendium of Hindu deities. On the 50th anniversary of the 'Indo-Japanese Cultural Treaty' in 2007, the Embassy of India in Japan and the Institute of Sathya Sai Education jointly honoured the scholars with awards and citations. Since 1978, Hira has also sponsored, translated, and published over 132 periodicals and books in the Japanese language on Indian culture and spirituality through Sathya Sai Publications Japan.
Ryuko Hira alongside the Ambassador of India to Japan - Deepa Wadhwa, and other guests during the inauguration ceremony of the book 'Secrets of India - インドのひみつ'
In 1981, Hira sponsored a Hindi-language commentary (translated by NHK) for visitors to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial to benefit Indian visitors. Since 1983, Hira has served as the chief editor of Sairam News, a monthly newsletter published by Sathya Sai Publications Japan. In an affinity survey poll conducted by the Cabinet Office of Japan in 2010, young Japanese students were found to have no interest in India, mainly due to the lack of availability of lesson books introducing India to primary school students of Japan. In response, Hira published a book entitled Secrets of India, with the support of the All Japan National Congress of Parent Teacher Associations. The book was officially released in 2012 by the Embassy of India in Japan on the 60th anniversary of India-Japan Diplomatic Relations. The book was received by 23,500 primary schools and public libraries across Japan, and from 2012 to 2017, over seven million Japanese elementary school students read the book as a study of India.[citation needed]
Most of Hira's books are sold on the Japanese Amazon bookstore today. Over 30 books have been placed at national and regional public libraries, including the cultural centre library of the Embassy of India in Japan.[4]
Devotion to Sathya Sai Baba
Hira is widely known for his philanthropy, interest in social causes, and spiritual devotion. He was first introduced to Sri Sathya Sai Baba in 1978 and has been a passionate student of his teachings since then. Inspired by the dictum of the Vedas as well as the teachings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Hira is actively engaged in the service of humanity, alongside working devoutly for the character-building of people at large. His adoption of lifestyle of a spiritualist, social worker, and patron of various social causes began with knowing Sri Sathya Sai Baba.[15][4]
Hira has been introducing the teachings and message of Sri Sathya Sai Baba and was the chairman of the Sri Sathya Sai Organization Region B, which included over 80 countries. He is currently a trustee of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust and President of both Sathya Sai Publications Japan and the Institute of Sathya Sai Education Japan. Over the years, he has organized workshops, exhibitions, and symposiums on Gayatri Mantra and its significance, the harms of alcohol and smoking, and the national annual Sai conventions in Japan. A spiritual milestone was achieved on the 80th Birthday of Sri Sathya Sai Baba on 23 November 2005, when over 100 young Japanese fluently recited the whole of the Vedas in perfect Sanskrit pronunciation without referring to the text from memory. Since then, 300 Japanese have learned to recite the Vedas with appreciable pronunciation and decipher their meanings.[14][4]
The Tohoku earthquake and tsunami occurred in the Oshika Peninsula on 11 March 2011, with over 22,000 casualties. Following Sri Sathya Sai Baba's message of 'service to humanity' and 'unity', the Sathya Sai Organization Japan was one of the first service organizations to respond to the disaster. On 12 March 2011, the next morning, the team prepared 3,600 two-litre water bottles and 300 fresh onigiris and advanced to the disaster sites. Hira's Hotel Pearl City Sendai and Hotel Pearl City Kesennuma were used as a deceased victims identification centre, as well as the base of operations for NHK and local police forces. With the assistance of the Japanese Coast Guard, the relief items were delivered to the victims via boats and helicopters. Sairam News reported that under the leadership of Ryuko Hira, contributions from members from all over the country, and the Embassy of India in Japan, various relief supplies including towels, socks, heating packs, emergency blue sheets, undergarments, portable gas stoves, diapers, sanitary products, clothes, rice, frozen foods, juices, and other emergency food items continued to be delivered to the victims for 6 months.[16]
The Sathya Sai Organization's emergency service truck carrying support relief items arriving at the disaster site.
Ryuko Hira alongside the service members outside Hotel Pearl City Sendai, instructing the team.
Sathya Sai Youth carrying the relief item boxes to be loaded onto the coast guard patrol boats.
In similar service activities, during the Great Hanshin Earthquake that occurred on 17 January 1995 in Hyogo Prefecture, Sathya Sai Organization Japan responded to the disaster immediately. Sairam News reported that water, emergency food items, blankets, and other relief items were delivered to the victims. There were members themselves who were victims but still volunteered in the spirit of Sai Service.[17]
Name and citizenship
The Hira Mountains in Shiga Prefecture where Ryuko Hira received his prophesized name.
In an article Hira wrote for the Monthly Journal of the Japan-India Association titled 'True Indian?', he explains the meaning and story behind his Japanese citizenship and name. In 1975, the Government of India, under Indira Gandhi's prime ministership, imposed a 'State of Emergency in India, which led to new rules and regulations on oversea Indians, as well as the nationalization of India's major banks and public services in the wider interests of discouraging communism and promoting socialist reforms.
Hira writes that the socialist reforms impeded the stability and growth of capitalist enterprises, which led his family and many others to make long-term commitments to Japan. His first Indian name, 'Kamlesh', meant the lord of lotus flowers, and his last name, 'Panjabi', meant 5 rivers. He states that the direct translation of his name would be queer in Japanese characters, and since most local government officers did not read or write English at the time, his name being written in Kanji was a legal requirement.
Hira's friend, Mr. Mihara from Kyoto, introduced him to a Japanese priest of the Hindu temple of Lord Vishnu (Bishamon-ten) located on top of Mount Hira in Shiga Prefecture. This priest specialized in the art of Japanese calligraphy and 'Jikaku' - the number of strokes in a Kanji character that decides the destiny of a name. After 21 days of meeting with the priest, he received the name Hira Ryuko (比良 竜虎). Hira represents Mount Hira, '竜/Ryu' and '虎/Ko', the two kanji represent dragon (Japan) and tiger (India) respectively, symbolizing prosperity and strength. In another interview with Sairam News, Hira recalls the priest prophesying and quotes, "In the future, you are destined to bridge the two countries of India and Japan. The dragon symbolizes Japan, and the tiger symbolizes India. In order to serve as a bridge between Japan and India, I chose the name Ryuko. The time will come when you will understand what it means".[14][18]
12"Padma Awards 2022"(PDF). Padma Awards. Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt of India. Archived(PDF) from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
↑Hira, Ryuko (December 2009). "True Indian?". Monthly Journal of the Japan-India Association. 106 (10).
Additional reading
Extracts from Hira's Tryst with Divinity interview with Radio Sai's Karuna Munshi, which was first broadcast on 6 August 2013: Karuna Munshi. "Sai Samurai – Ryuko Hira of Japan". Sri Sathya Sai Media Centre. Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
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