Poonja International Hotel owner Prabhakar Poonja Passes Away
Mangalore: Prabhakar Poonja, the proprietor of the renowned Poonja International Hotel in Hampankatta, Mangalore, passed away at the age of 72. Poonja, a native of Bantwal, breathed his last at a private hospital in the city following a short period of illness.
Prabhakar Poonja’s life was marked by a diverse trajectory. Forty years ago, he maintained connections with the Mumbai underworld, working as a chauffeur for a prominent don. In 1986, he relocated to Mangalore and established the Poonja International Hotel. At the time, alongside the established Moti Mahal, Poonja Hotel distinguished itself as a large and luxurious establishment.
Despite his early associations with Mumbai’s criminal underworld, Poonja eventually severed those ties and remained in Mangalore. Having moved to Mumbai during his youth, he never acquired fluency in Kannada, primarily communicating in Hindi, Marathi, and Tulu. He maintained relationships with numerous police officers in both Mumbai and Mangalore.
Notably, Sharad Shetty, a former don in the Mumbai underworld four decades ago, was a close relative of Poonja. Sources indicate that Shetty’s connections facilitated Poonja’s entry into the hotel business in Mangalore. He married after settling in Mangalore, and his children are currently managing the hotel’s operations.