Laxmanbhai Bhimji Raghwani, the founder of Laxmanbhai Construction Limited has died at 94 years, the company confirmed on Friday.
Raghwani is credited for working on some of the most iconic buildings dotting Nairobi’s skyline including luxury hotels Villa Rosa Kempinski in Westlands and Hemingways Hotel in Karen.
He also worked on Lonrho House in Nairobi’s CBD, remodeled Sarova Stanley, and designed the United Nations (UN) complex in Gigiri and English Point Marina in Mombasa.
In a statement, the company announced that the founder passed away on Thursday in India, terming his death as a great loss to the company which has been in operation for over 70 years.
“It is with immense grief and sadness that we lose our largest sponsor to date the legendary contractor Laxmanbhai who has virtually built the best buildings in the country,” the company noted.
“For us at Laxmanbhai Construction Limited, we would not be the company that we are, without his guidance, vision, blessings and hard work. His work ethic, discipline and fighting spirit are an example, to follow for all our current and future employees.”
Laxmanbhai Construction Limited is part of the Laxmanbhai Group of Companies which also has a strong presence in India and the United Kingdom.
The company has operations in commercial, residential, health, industrial, tourism and leisure, education, government and retail.
According to Africa Outlook Magazine, the company’s founder registered Laxmanbhai Company Limited in 1953 with a capital of Ksh100,000 and 30 members.
At the time, he envisioned creating an industry-leading firm dedicated to high-quality standards.
By 1972, the company was expanding in India, the United Kingdom, Seychelles, and Mauritius, gaining a reputation as one of the most established construction companies in the world.
His growth continued in the 1980s and 1990s – setting the standards for construction quality over the period.
Currently, the company has more than 13 shareholders and is among the top construction companies in the industry.
