Allirajah Subaskaran

Career

Allirajah started Lycamobile in 2006. As of 2018, Lycamobile was reported to serve 16 million customers across 23 countries.

In 2010, he founded the Gnanam Foundation, named for his mother, Gnanambikai Allirajah. Gnanam has partnered with Muslim Aid to build a well in Sudan, and with Children’s Hunger Relief Fund to renovate wells in Sri Lanka. In 2014, the foundation donated £59,000 to Save the Children during the Ebola crisis in West Africa.

The company's first production was the film Kaththi in 2014. It produced the science fiction thriller 2.0 (2018), which was India's most expensive film and the 5th most expensive non-English-language film at the time of its release.

Since November 2018, Lycatel and its founder have been embroiled in disputes relating to alleged fraud. The company was due for a tribunal hearing in March 2020 to argue against the HM Revenue and Customs. The firm estimates that it would have to pay £60m if it loses – a potential liability that has almost doubled in recent years. Lycamobile declined to say how much is at stake in two other disputes.

In September 2021, he became the new owner of the Jaffna Kings in the Lanka Premier League (LPL). Lyca Kovai Kings, a cricket team based in Coimbatore in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) tournament, is owned by Lyca Productions.

Allirajah formerly served on the Advisory Council for Sri Lanka within the British Asian Trust.

Personal life

Allirajah fled Sri Lanka with his family as a teenager, and moved first to France, where he worked at his family's restaurant in Paris, and then at their corner shop. He later settled in the UK.

Filmography

Main article: Lyca Productions

All films produced or distributed by Allirajah Subaskaran have been through Lyca Productions, the company he founded. For a complete list, see Lyca Productions.

Awards

In October 2011 Lycatel was ranked 36th out of 250 leading mid-market private companies in The Sunday Times. Allirajah received a gold award for Best Overall Enterprise in 2010 at the Asian Achievers Award ceremony for the impact he has made on the Asian community in the UK. The Asian Voice Political and Public Life awarded Allirajah in 2011 its "International Entrepreneur of the Year" award.

In 2012 the English Asian Business Awards presented Allirajah with the "2011 Power Business of the Year" award, recognizing the growth of the Lycamobile business globally, as well as the "Social Entrepreneur of the Year" award.

References

References

1. "Lycamobile settles with T-Mobile, reportedly heads to AT&T".
2. "Global Officials of Dignity Award conferred on first Lankan woman".
3. "Lyca’s Gnanam Foundation supports Ebola fight".
4. (11 September 2018). "At Rs 543 crore, Akshay Kumar and Rajinikanth's 2.0 is costlier than Deadpool and these Hollywood blockbusters - Bollywood News".
5. (2 February 2020). "Major Tory donor Lycamobile embroiled in three disputes with HMRC". The Guardian.
6. "Lyca Group Chairman Allirajah Subaskaran new owner of Jaffna Kings {{!}} Daily FT".
7. (2021-09-28). "Allirajah Subaskaran new proprietor of Jaffna LPL franchise".
8. "How Allirajah Subaskaran’s Gnanam Foundation Creates Global Impact".
9. Raghunathan, Anu. (11 December 2018). "This Former Immigrant From Sri Lanka Just Made India's Most Expensive Movie".
10. (30 January 2012). "Top Track 250 league table".
11. (7 December 2010). "Asian Achievers Awards 2010 > 2010".
12. (24 February 2012). "Asian bags international entrepreneur award for 2011". The Hindu Business Line.
13. (7 March 2012). "Honour for English Asian Business award winners". Asian Image.
14. (2 April 2012). "Winners of 2012 Asian Business". Asian Business Awards.