Vikram Kothari, the owner of Rotomac, died in Kanpur

Vikram Kothari, the managing director of Rotomac Group, died early Tuesday morning in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Kothari, a prominent businessman who founded Pan Masala and Rotomac Pen, passed away at his apartment in Tilak Nagar in the city.

The house servants first informed his wife Sadhana and son Rahul, who were in Lucknow, of his death. The staff discovered him unresponsive in the morning and contacted the doctor, who certified him dead, most likely due to heart arrest.

In 1995, Kothari, the owner of Dum Pan Masala, launched another company, Rotomac Pen.

He started out in the import-export industry before splitting up with Pan Parag in 1999 due to a family feud. He received the Prime Minister's award for best exporter in 1997. In the next ten years (1995-2005), the value of his Rotomac company increased to Rs 100 crore. The news of his passing sparked a wave of grief in the business.