Kushal Pal Singh, the chairman emeritus of real estate group DLF, has found love again. The 91-year-old opened up about finding a partner again in life, after the death of his wife in 2018, in an interview to CNBC-TV18. Mr Singh also talked about his humble beginnings, his days as sportsperson and what led him to enter the manufacturing business during his early days. Called a visionary developer, Mr Singh has been among the most influential names in India of recent decades as the man who built "boom city" Gurugram.
Mr Singh told CNBC-TV18 that he was very lonely for a year or two. "I was very lucky that I met a very charming person who is my partner now. Her name is Sheena. She's one of the best persons in my life, I've met now. She's energetic. She keeps me on my toes. And she has a wonderful set of friends all over the world," he said in the interview.
Mr Singh said it was Sheena who told him not to give up in life, just months before his wife died.
The real estate tycoon added he had an amazing married life and described his wife as his friend. "My wife was not only my partner but also a friend. Our compatibility was good. We tried our best, but nothing could be done. You land in a situation of a lonely man," said Mr Singh.
His wife died in 2018 due to cancer, after which Mr Singh turned away from active management duties. ''if you lose a partner of 65 years, you can't be the same. You're thinking differently. So I'm trying to restructure myself,'' he told the outlet.
Mr Singh added that for a company to work, it is important to be positive and active.
According to Forbes, Mr Singh has a net worth of $8.81 billion. The property baron left an army posting in 1961 to join DLF, a company started by his father-in-law in 1946.
He later built DLF City in Gurgaon, his showpiece township on the outskirts of Delhi, by acquiring land from farmers. The firm is now run by his son Rajiv as chairman.
Mr Singh stepped down as chairman after more than five decades in that position, in June 2020.
