Prominent Indian businessman in Seychelles passes away after life of success
Obituaries |Author: Julia Malbrook Edited by: Betymie Bonnelame | November 24, 2017, Friday @ 10:18| 7760 views
Valabhji, 84, passed away on Wednesday November 22nd at the Seychelles Hospital after suffering medical complications. (Abhaye Valabjibi Group)
(Seychelles News Agency) - Seychelles and the Indian community have lost a prominent figure in the business industry after the death of Abhaye Valabhji earlier this week.
Valabhji, 84, passed away on Wednesday November 22nd at the Seychelles Hospital after suffering medical complications. He leaves behind his wife, five children and six grandchildren.
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| Valabhji with his wife and five children (Abhaye Valabjibi Group) Photo License: All Rights Reserved |
“He leaves us with sad and heavy hearts, but with a well-defined path to follow, one with high principles and ideals of honesty, generosity, kindness, and hard work,” said his son Anil Valabhji.
Anil Valabhji described his father as a man with a big heart who even when he was just starting off in business kept finding ways to help people. Abhaye Valabhji introduced the payment by installment for his clients.
“He had a genuine and contagious smile, and a generosity that leaves us humbled,” said Anil Valabhji. He added that his father did not hesitate in offering credit to all who needed it like “fisherman who needed outboard motors, families and taxi drivers in need of a car, musicians in need of instruments, housewives who needed household appliances.”
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Abhaye founded his first shop on Albert Street in 1962 which was the beginning of the Abhaye Valabhji company. (Abhaye Valabjibi Group) Photo License: All Rights Reserved |
The late Valabhji, who was of Indian origin, was born in Seychelles, a group of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, on June 17, 1933 and was fourth among six children.
He was the founder and chairman of the well-known local business conglomerate the Abhaye Valabhji (AV) group. Abhaye founded his first shop on Albert Street in 1962 which was the beginning of the Abhaye Valabhji company.
The business was formally structured in 2004 to include all its businesses under one group. The AV group includes several local businesses and also works with some of the world’s biggest multinational companies like the Japanese Toyota Motor Corporation.