Jayaram Banan hails from Mangalore, the coastal city of Karnataka well known for its never ending generation of highly successful entrepreneurs, famous Bankers and enterprising Hoteliers with a fantastic business acumen and possessing Midas Touch. He started his independent career at the young age of 13 in Bombay (now Mumbai)-the beacon for such runaway entrepreneurs who had the courage to dream big and the vision to achieve success in whatever they touched.
He started literally at the ground level, struggled very hard to make both ends some-how meet in this teeming and big city but always kept his spirits up never giving up hope of striking it big someday not far away in the future. After years of struggle in Mumbai, Jayaram Banan moved to Bangalore (now known as Bengaluru) venturing to be on his own. But success evaded him here and the business incurred losses but he did not give up and shifted to Ghaziabad and immediately was successful in bagging a semi-Government canteen contract which kept him afloat for six years. However, Destiny had other plans in store for him. With a small capitalinvestment he opened the first Sagar Restaurant in Defence Colony in New Delhi. It was still difficult days for him and the business took a while to stabilize. But dogged determination and persistence enabled him to sustain till such time the name Sagar started spreading as the Place to go for its affordably-priced and out-of-this world Onion Rava Masala and Neer Dosa, among others. Success followed his hard work and soon it became the kind of business model most entrepreneurs dream of. Never a person to sit idle on his laurels, Jayaram Banan diversified into non-vegetarian Restaurant business segment under the Brand name of Swagath which acted as an icing on the cake.
Sagar and Swagath have a long list of celebrity customers which includes former Prime Ministers, Leading celebrities and famous journalists and many such elite personalities. True to the adage that “Nothing succeeds like success” Awards poured in both on Sagar Ratna.
“Best South Indian Restaurant” consecutively for many years from Times Food Award initiated by Times of India] and Swagath. However, the phenomenal success made The “Inc. India” Magazine published by Nine Dot Nine Mediaworx Pvt Ltd New Delhi in its November 2010 ran a 7-page article with his photo on the front cover page hailing Jayaram Banan as THE SULTAN OF SAMBHAR.
The Ocean Pearl Hotels Pvt ltd was earlier known as Sagar Ratna Hotels Pvt ltd( till the name was changed in the year 2011). Prior to its incorporation in the year 1997 with Shri Jayaram Banan as its chief Promoter was famous under Sagar & Sagar Ratna Brands of Restaurants. It is the flagship company of the JRB Group.
In December 1986 Jayaram Banan ventured in to New Delhi, the Capital City of India with his own concept of a Vegetarian South Indian Restaurant called "SAGAR" in a deserted, sleepy and unknown market of Defence colony. The seating capacity of the restaurant was just 40. With sheer hard work, dedication, Personal attention and motivation he made “SAGAR” a very popular name all over Delhi as the most affordable Restaurant for south Indian Snacks not only for the masses but also for the classes. The opening of the first outlet of SAGAR in the then deserted & sleepy market of DefenceColony changed the fortunes of some 70 odd idle shops in the market. Sagar Ratna expanded horizontally with own branches and franchisee outlets across the length and breadth of the country and more particularly in the northern parts with a Pan-India presence as also a global footprint with its Franchisees operating in Singapore, Toronto and Bangkok.
The hard work, commitment to ensure excellent quality at all costs always backed by quick and efficient service enabled the growth of 'Sagar Ratna' as the best Brand of a chain of vegetarian Restaurants in North India with a specialty in south Indian delicacies. It established an identity of its own for high quality delicious food; quick, homely and personalized service; utmost hygienic atmosphere; Excellent upkeep of its premises; & Low and affordable pricing.
Buoyed up with the phenomenal success achieved under the banner of Sagar Ratna, Shri Jayaram Banan embarked upon a value addition exercise to the chain by starting in the year 2001 a Multi-Cuisine Restaurant with Bar under the Brand name of "SWAGATH" offering coastal Food, Chettinad Food and specialty Mughlai & Chinese cuisine. Within a short span Swagath also has become a very popular brand in Delhi and has won awards for the years 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 & 2009 as the “Best Coastal Restaurant” instituted by M/s. Times of India. In the ITC-WELCOM GROUP- HT City Eating Out Guide 2004 it was awarded the “Best South Indian Restaurant (Non-Vegetarian)” for the year 2004 in the Stand Alone Category.
Recently Swagath has opened a branch in Connaught Place-New Delhi under its new Brand Name “Indian Grill Company”- an exclusive fine dining Restaurant & Bar.
The Ocean Pearl under a contract for Flight Catering from Air India for its Air India Express at Mangalore International Airport for both International and domestic flights serves 1000 Hot/delicious meals every day for Air Passengers. It has established a fully equipped most modern and hygienic kitchen at Mangalore with a capacity to serve 5000 meals per day to meet the stringent quality and security standards in this regard. Besides the ultra-modern kitchen, the other facilities provided include inter-alia walk-in-coolers; Blast chillers; deep freezers; refrigerated Hi-loaders and Vans and a large fleet of cargo vehicles to cater to almost every type of Air craft 24 Hours a day. The Hotel has highly skilled, experienced and competent staff for ensuring smooth handling of this specialized operation which involves high level of security awareness and implementation while not compromising on its excellent tradition of quality and taste.