The GMR Group is an Indian infrastructure conglomerate headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Founded by Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao, the group operates across the airports, energy, transportation and urban infrastructure sectors, and is best known for developing and managing major airports in India and abroad.
| Type | Infrastructure conglomerate |
|---|---|
| Founder | G. M. Rao |
| Headquarters | Bengaluru, Karnataka, India |
| Industry | Infrastructure (airports, energy, transportation, urban infrastructure) |
| Country of origin | India |
The group traces its origins to ventures established by G. M. Rao in Andhra Pradesh, beginning with a jute mill and later expanding into banking, before moving into infrastructure development. Over time, the group reorganised its activities under the holding company GMR Infrastructure, with operating subsidiaries focused on individual sectors.
The airports business is the flagship segment of the group, operated through GMR Airports. It includes:
Through GMR Energy, the group has interests in thermal and hydroelectric power generation, along with associated transmission and coal-based fuel supply activities in India and overseas.
The group has built and operated highway concessions in India under public–private partnership models, and has developed urban infrastructure projects including special investment regions and the Krishnagiri SIR and Kakinada SEZ ventures.
The publicly listed entities historically associated with the group include GMR Infrastructure Limited and, following a demerger of the airports and non-airports businesses, GMR Airports Infrastructure Limited. The non-airports infrastructure activities were grouped under GMR Power and Urban Infra Limited. Strategic investors in the airports business have included France's Groupe ADP.
The group's philanthropic activities are channelled through the GMR Varalakshmi Foundation, which works in education, health, vocational training and community development in areas where the group has operations.
GMR Group is among the largest private airport operators in India and one of the few Indian infrastructure firms with a substantial international airports portfolio. Its role in the development of Delhi and Hyderabad airports made it a prominent example of public–private partnership in Indian aviation infrastructure.