- Mr. Suresh Kalmadi

Mr. Suresh Kalmadi is a very successful businessman who has risen to the top during the last 30 years by his vision, sheer dynamism, and superb organization skills. He is a self-made man, and today his creations provide employment to over 2500 people. The birth and growth of the Sai Service Group took place because of Mr. Kalmadi's vision, dynamism, and his ability to put people in the proper places, including his brother and son who are very active participants of the Sai Service Group.

"I have no time or inclination for small events. Anything big and massive immediately calls for my attention. I have always been a natural organizer, so all these roles come easily to me. The pressure never reaches boiling point because I have delegated authority to competent persons. So starting new projects and sustaining them has never been an issue," Mr. Kalmadi has said.

Mr. Kalmadi started in April 1974 by acquiring an interest in Poona Coffee House which today is the leading restaurant located in the most prestigious area in the heart of the city.

In July 1974 he acquired a dealership of Hindustan Petroleum for all its products. Then in 1985 he took his big step, and under the banner of Sai Service Station Ltd. (incorporated on August 09, 1985) he took the dealership of Maruti Udyog Ltd. Next he added the dealership of Bajaj Auto Ltd. in 1986. He also brought to India via the Sai Service Group the Rent-a-Car scheme for the first time. Sai Service has now spread its wings to Mumbai, Kolhapur, Kochi, and Goa.

Sai Service has acquired the Number 1 position in Maruti dealership in the country (4 times including 2003), and continues to be the leading organization for Maruti Udyog Ltd. Sai Service has also acquired the Number 1 position in Bajaj dealerships in the country. The group has also taken to marketing Mahindra vehicles in Mumbai.

As a businessman himself, Mr. Kalmadi has been actively trying to get corporate support for sports and other cultural activities. He always encourages his fellow businessmen to sponsor and promote sports other than cricket. At the recent 1st Standard Chartered Mumbai International Marathon, the sponsors had pumped in USD 210,000 to make it the richest marathon in Asia. He says, "I want to see that 30 corporate houses back 30 different sports so that every sport gets proper recognition."