Building An Empire

Sham Panjabi, and his sons Sahil and Simraan are changing the hospitality sector through their linen offerings. Bindu Gopal Rao delves into the story Behind SMP Linen and finds out what’s in store for its future

- Bindu Gopal Rao

A Mauritius based company is making its mark in hotels across the world courtesy its linen products. Spearheaded by 58-year-old Sham Panjabi, SMP Linen Ltd is a world-class luxury linen company, providing the finest bed, bath, and table linen to the hospitality industry. “My parents migrated to Mauritius in 1957 from Hyderabad, Sindh. I joined the family textile business at an early age. In 2007, we started SMP Linen and set up a manufacturing unit. After being in the textile trade for so long and living on a tourist island like Mauritius, I decided to come up with a new concept of linen, which was much needed in the hospitality sector here,” explains Sham.

Passionate about real estate, Sham also acquires land parcels and creates townships and residential gated communities. Additionally, he was the Honorary Consul of Commo Island between 1994 and 2008. His role was to represent the Government of Comoros in Mauritius and create cultural and business ties between the two countries. The Panjabis all live together and Sham admits that they have an active social life. “We have been involved in the diplomatic field in the country as well as been in Rotary and other charitable organizations,” Sham elaborates.

“My wife Sneha and myself started SMP Linen together. She has been my main strength and inspiration in all my endeavours,” he shares. His sons, Sahil and Simraan joined the business in 2010 and 2012 respectively and brought new ideas and creativity that took it to new heights. Today, they are working with most of the major hotel groups in the area Lux Resorts Mauritius and Maldives, Sun Resorts, the Beachcomber Group of Hotels, the Constance Group of Hotels of Mauritius, Seychelles and Maldives, Shangri-La, Maradiva and Sands among others.