V G Siddhartha, the founder of India's largest coffee chain Cafe Coffee Day and who also owns Asia's single largest Coffee estate, is reportedly missing from last evening.
According to reports he got off from his car near a bridge across the river Nethravathi near Mangalore, about 375 KMs from Bengaluru, but did not return even after an hour.
A panicked driver went down looking for his employer, but could not find him anywhere. After that he alerted the family members who in turn informed the police.
The Dakshina Kannada police have launched a massive search for him. Helicopters and coast guards have been summoned, and over 200 people are searching for him.
According to his driver, Siddhartha, known as the Coffee king of India was talking to someone on his mobile phone when he got off from the car near Kotekar.
The news of Siddhartha's disappearance has spread like wildfire across Karnataka and hundreds of his relatives and friends have gathered at his father in law and former Karnataka CM SM Krishna's house in Bengaluru.
Even CM BS Yeddyurappa has reached SMK's house in the morning. Siddhartha is married to SM Krishna's first daughter Malavika.They have two sons.
Besides Cafe Coffee Day, Siddhartha has founded a hospitality chain which runs a seven-star resort Serai and Cicada.
Siddhartha is from a Coffee growing family in Chickmagalur district and made it big through his vision and hard work. He first founded Cafe Coffee Day in mid 1990s on Brigade Road which has now become an international brand. He recently sold his stakes in a software company MindTree for about Rs.3000 crore.
Even he is in talks with Coca-Cola to sell CCD was in news recently.
A mild mannered Siddhartha is liked by all because of his helping nature and business acumen. His chain of companies employ over 10,000 people across India.
First Published: IST