An investigation has revealed that all three companies which submitted bids for an adventure tourism project near Mussoorie’s George Everest Estate were linked to the same individual — Acharya Balkrishna. The contract was eventually awarded to one of these firms, which also lists him as a shareholder.
Balkrishna, the co-founder and managing director of Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, a company valued at ₹6,199 crore, is widely known as the close associate of yoga guru Baba Ramdev. The state government had floated the tender in December 2022, offering 142 acres of land with facilities including a helipad, wooden cottages, museums, a café, an observatory, parking, and pathways. In return, the successful bidder was expected to pay an annual concession fee of ₹1 crore, according to the findings.
Records show that Balkrishna owned more than 99 percent of two of the bidders, Prakriti Organics India Pvt Ltd and Bharuwa Agri Science Pvt Ltd. In the third company, Rajas Aerosports and Adventures Pvt Ltd, which eventually secured the contract in 2023, he held a 25.01 percent stake at the time of bidding. Months after the award, his shareholding in this company rose to a majority position.