A businessman hailing from Kerala, K.G. Abraham, is the managing director of the firm NBTC (Naser Mohamed Al-Baddah & Partner Trading and Contracting Company), which rented the six-storey building that caught fire in Kuwait on Wednesday, killing 49 people, mostly Indians. The 69-year-old businessman is also a partner in the firm.
NBTC group had rented the building for the stay of more than 195 of its workers, most of them Indians from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and northern states. The fire in the building was reported to authorities in Al-Ahmadi governorate at 4.30 am on Wednesday and most of the deaths were due to smoke inhalation.
READ MORE: Kuwait fire: 19 Keralaites among 49 dead, Health Minister Veena George to reach Kuwait
Established in 1977, NBTC, which provides a range of services including construction, engineering, fabrication, machining, and logistics, operates in Kuwait and other regions, including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. It is currently a major employer in the Middle East, providing jobs to as many as 15,000 people.
Hailing from Pathanamthitta district of Kerala, Abraham, who had a diploma in civil engineering, moved to Kuwait when he was 22 and found a job at a construction company. Seven years later, he became a partner in NBTC and even started taking minor civil construction works.
He played a major role in the company's revival after the Kuwait war of 1990, according to an Indian Express report.
Abraham heads KG Group, which co-produced the recent Malayalam survival drama, Aadujeevitham, directed by Blessy and starring Prithviraj Sukumaran in the lead.
He is also the chairman of the luxury hotel Crowne Plaza. Abraham is also involved in various other business ventures, including real estate, and philanthropic activities.
