About
Unnikrishnan. P
Unnikrishnan Puravangara, a resident of Bahrain since 1994, is an entrepreneur by mission, a writer by passion, and a sociopreneur by vision.
Unnikrishnan, an architect building successful media brands across the GCC, is an acclaimed multilingual writer and orator. Through his entrepreneurial initiatives, Mr Unni's philosophy is to 'inspire' people, businesses, and society. He hails from a family of talented writers and media personalities, and his inclination toward the media business was almost by default.
Business life
He is the first Indian businessman to start the operations of a foreign media (Asianet Television) in the Kingdom of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, a private Radio station (Radio Voice 104.2) in Bahrain, an Evening newspaper in Malayalam (FOUR PM News) and the first Indian to decorate the position of chairman and Managing director of an English National daily( The Daily Tribune) outside India.
He is the chairman and managing director of Strategic Publicity and advertising company Update Media, Laurels Center for Global Education, The Daily Tribune, and 4 PM News. He is also the advisory member and director for K.H.K. Consultancy and A.P.J Abdul Kalam Centre. He is also the chairman of UNISAKI AGRO FOOD company in Hebbal Mysore, India.
Social life
He represented the expatriate community in Bahrain's National Dialogue, an initiative by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to promote reform and encourage discussion on the governance of Bahrain during the 2011 unrest. The Dialogue began on 2nd July 2011 across the Bahraini political spectrum. He could voice the concerns and thoughts of expatriates freely without being subject to any conditions. Then, Parliament speaker Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Dhahrani chaired the dialogue.
He also participated in the 21st session of the Human Rights Council, which was held at the headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, representing the Bahrain Federation of Expatriate Association.
He was also a member of the First delegation led by the H.E.Zayed.R.Alzayani, the Minister of Industry and Commerce to the State of Israel after Bahrain normalised ties with the State of Israel. He also visited Gaza, Palestine, as a part of the delegation headed by His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al khalifa.
He worked closely to promote the activities of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority, an Initiative from H.R.H. Prince Salman bin Hamad Alkhalifa, the Crown Prince deputy commander and Prime Minister of Bahrain. The interactive program with the C.E.O. of LMRA in Radio Voice helped many expatriates to interact and resolve their problems with the officials from LMRA. When LMRA realised the difficulties of absconding expatriates, they declared an amnesty period where such workers were allowed to legalise their visas without penalty. Those workers stuck in Bahrain due to visa-related issues can fly back to their home country without paying any liability. He donated 104 free air tickets to those workers who couldn't afford to take one-way tickets to their home country. He was instrumental in saving 14 workers locked up in a freezer by their sponsor.
Business ventures
STRATEGIC PUBLICITY AND ADVERTISING SINCE 2006
RADIO VOICE -104.2- "You are not alone"
In 2006, he obtained the First license for a Private Radio station from the Ministry of Information. The first FM station was branded as an Asian Radio station, popularly known as Radio Voice 104.2, with the tagline "You are not alone." Radio voice became one of the most helpful platforms for expatriates during the 2011 unrest. The Expatriates of Bahrain went through lots of commotion during this period. Unfortunately, they could not get the proper response to their distress calls in the early stages of unrest from relevant authorities. So Radio Voice made a team of volunteers who worked day and night to provide helpful information with the support of the Ministry of Interior. The Ministry of Interior also helped to shift the Indian expatriates who called the radio station to move them from dangerous places to safer zones.
THE DAILY TRIBUNE
In 2001, he acquired the rights to 'The Daily Tribune' Newspaper, a National Daily Printed and Published under the License of Al Ayam Publishing and Printing. He became the First Indian to hold the Chairman and Managing Director positions of an English newspaper in the Middle East. Its online platform, www.newsofbahrain.com, is one of the most-read media portals in the Middle East.
4PMNEWS
In 2010, Unnikrishnan started the First Evening Malayalam Newspaper from the Middle East. Currently, 4pmnews.com is the Number one media outlet worldwide, reaching over a million viewers.
LAURELS EDUCATIONAL SERVICES WLL
Laurels Education Services W.L.L. is a pioneer in Bahrain's education and training industry, with 26 years of direct collective experience in higher education. Laurels represents the exclusive centre for the National Institute for Open Schooling, India. It is also the test centre for I.I.T. Madras, JEE, and many other prestigious Universities, like Jain International.
KHK-CONSULTANCY
KHK Consultancy, an initiative under the vision of His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, a part of K.H.K. Holding, creates valuable connections between nations and develops Industry sectors to benefit the Kingdom's economy, infrastructure, and community.
McIndeez Consultancy Company & McIndeez Academy
Mcindeez Academy is the sole representative office for IITM Pravarthak.
IITM Pravartak is an initiative by IIT Madras under the Centre for Continuing Education, currently known as the Centre for Outreach and Digital Education (CODE), following inputs from the apex industrial body NASSCOM IT-ITeS Sector Skill Council. IITM Pravartak has its main objectives: Enhancement of professional skills through online training in the areas of Engineering, Sciences, Humanities, Management, etc., in collaboration with industry training partners and other academic institutes, and Building Digital Skills in various current and futuristic technologies.
Unisaki Agro Food Company operates a state-of-the-art food production facility in the industrial city of Mysore, India. The two factories have advanced machinery and technology, enabling them to produce high volumes of food products while strictly adhering to top quality and safety standards. The dedicated team of skilled professionals—including food technologists, quality control specialists, and production staff—works diligently to ensure our products exceed customer expectations and comply with all relevant food safety and quality regulations.
Unisaki prioritises using the freshest, most natural ingredients in all our products. The product line includes nutrient-packed cakes, rusks, and various wholesome bakery items, all free from artificial flavours, colours, and preservatives. Unisaki products are crafted for consumers seeking nutritious and delicious options they can trust.
Unnikrishnan promoted many Indian cultural events in the Kingdom of Bahraini and introduced Indian festivals like Holi, Kite Festival, and Dandiya as Nationwide events by participating Bahraini friends and other expatriates from various countries.
Awards and recognitions.
He holds a postgraduate degree in General Journalism from the London School of Journalism, an MBA with a specialisation in Marketing, and a certificate of specialisation from Harvard Business School.
His vision and mission are mainly shaped by his father, Late C.M.P. Nair, a freedom fighter, humanitarian, and politician imprisoned for opposing an emergency in 1977. He started his career as an accountant in a construction company for over seven years. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._M._Padmanabhan_Nair). His mother, Indira Amma, daughter of Krishnan Nair, hails from the Puravangara family, a famous Nair Family from Kanhangad, Kasaragod. P.Krishnan Nair, the father of P.Indira Amma, is the direct brother of Mahakavi P.Kunhi Raman Nair (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._Kunhiraman_Nair).
His wife, Latha Unnikrishnan, is a partner in his business and has lived in Bahrain for the last 24 years. His son, Goutham Krishna, is a third-year student at Queen Mary's College London, and his daughter, Tejaswini Krishna, is a third-year medical student at Universiti Sains Malaysia.
