{{short description|British-Sri Lankan entrepreneur (born 1972)}} {{EngvarB|date=November 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}} {{Infobox person | image = 0Y2A04257.jpg | birthname = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1972|3|2}} | birth_place = Jaffna, Dominion of Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) | occupation = {{hlist|Businessman| Film producer}} | organization = Lyca Mobile, Lyca Productions | spouse = Prema Subaskaran | children = 3 }}

'''Allirajah Subaskaran''' (born 2 March 1972) is a British-Sri Lankan entrepreneur. He was born in Sri Lanka, and later migrated to England and became a British citizen. He is the founder and chairman of Lyca Mobile, a telecommunications company and its entertainment subsidiary, Lyca Productions, based in Chennai, India.

== Career == Allirajah started Lycamobile in 2006. As of 2018, Lycamobile was reported to serve 16 million customers across 18 countries.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lycamobile settles with T-Mobile, reportedly heads to AT&T |url=https://www.lightreading.com/business-transformation/lyca-mobile-settles-with-t-mobile-reportedly-heads-to-at-t |website=Light Reading}}</ref>

In 2010, he founded the Gnanam Foundation, named for his mother, Gnanambikai Allirajah. Gnanam has partnered with Muslim Aid to build a well in Sudan, and with Children’s Hunger Relief Fund to renovate wells in Sri Lanka.<ref>{{cite web |title=Global Officials of Dignity Award conferred on first Lankan woman |url=https://www.ft.lk/article/561038/Www.aquavista.lk |website=Daily Ft}}</ref> In 2014, the foundation donated £59,000 to Save the Children during the Ebola crisis in West Africa.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lyca’s Gnanam Foundation supports Ebola fight |url=https://trumpetmediagroup.com/the-trumpet/health/lycas-gnanam-foundation-supports-ebola-fight/ |website=Trumpet Media}}</ref>

The company's first production was the film ''Kaththi'' in 2014. It produced the science fiction thriller ''2.0'' (2018), which was India's most expensive film and the 5th most expensive non-English-language film at the time of its release.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment/news/bollywood-news/article/at-rs-543-crore-akshay-kumar-and-rajinikanths-2-0-is-costlier-than-deadpool-and-these-hollywood-blockbusters-bollywood-news/283291|title=At Rs 543 crore, Akshay Kumar and Rajinikanth's 2.0 is costlier than Deadpool and these Hollywood blockbusters - Bollywood News|author=|date=11 September 2018|website=timesnownews.com|accessdate=2 December 2018}}</ref>

Since November 2018, Lycatel and its founder have been embroiled in disputes relating to alleged fraud. The company was due for a tribunal hearing in March 2020 to argue against the HM Revenue and Customs. The firm estimates that it would have to pay £60m if it loses – a potential liability that has almost doubled in recent years. Lycamobile declined to say how much is at stake in two other disputes.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/money/2020/feb/02/major-tory-donor-lycamobile-embroiled-in-three-disputes-with-hmrc|title=Major Tory donor Lycamobile embroiled in three disputes with HMRC|first1=Solomon|last1=Hughes|first2=Rob|last2=Evans|newspaper=The Guardian |date=2 February 2020|via=www.theguardian.com}}</ref>

In September 2021, he became the new owner of the Jaffna Kings in the Lanka Premier League (LPL). Lyca Kovai Kings, a cricket team based in Coimbatore in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) tournament, is owned by Lyca Productions.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lyca Group Chairman Allirajah Subaskaran new owner of Jaffna Kings {{!}} Daily FT|url=https://www.ft.lk/sports/Lyca-Group-Chairman-Allirajah-Subaskaran-new-owner-of-Jaffna-Kings/23-723591|access-date=2021-09-30|website=www.ft.lk|language=English}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-09-28|title=Allirajah Subaskaran new proprietor of Jaffna LPL franchise|url=https://www.newsfirst.lk/2021/09/28/allirajah-subaskaran-new-proprietor-of-jaffna-lpl-franchise/|access-date=2021-09-30|website=Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst|language=en}}</ref>

Allirajah formerly served on the Advisory Council for Sri Lanka within the British Asian Trust.<ref>{{cite web |title=How Allirajah Subaskaran’s Gnanam Foundation Creates Global Impact |url=https://www.abcmoney.co.uk/2025/08/how-allirajah-subaskarans-gnanam-foundation-creates-global-impact/ |website=ABC Money}}</ref>

== Personal life == Allirajah fled Sri Lanka with his family as a teenager, and moved first to France, where he worked at his family's restaurant in Paris, and then at their corner shop. He later settled in the UK.<ref>{{cite news|title=This Former Immigrant From Sri Lanka Just Made India's Most Expensive Movie|first=Anu|last=Raghunathan|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/anuraghunathan/2018/12/11/this-former-immigrant-from-sri-lanka-just-made-indias-most-expensive-movie/|website=Forbes|date=11 December 2018|accessdate=11 November 2025}}</ref>

== Filmography == {{Main|Lyca Productions}}

All films produced or distributed by Allirajah Subaskaran have been through Lyca Productions, the company he founded. For a complete list, see Lyca Productions.

==Awards== In October 2011 Lycatel was ranked 36th out of 250 leading mid-market private companies in ''The Sunday Times''.<ref name=mnews3>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fasttrack.co.uk/fasttrack/leagues/top250leaguetable.asp?siteID=5&searchName=&yr=2011&sort=num&area1=99|title=Top Track 250 league table|date=30 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130153217/http://www.fasttrack.co.uk/fasttrack/leagues/top250leaguetable.asp?siteID=5&searchName=&yr=2011&sort=num&area1=99|archive-date=30 January 2012}}</ref> Allirajah received a gold award for Best Overall Enterprise in 2010 at the Asian Achievers Award ceremony for the impact he has made on the Asian community in the UK.<ref name=mnews4>{{cite web|url=http://aaa.abplgroup.com/previous-winners/2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101207180340/http://aaa.abplgroup.com/previous-winners/2010|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 December 2010|title=Asian Achievers Awards 2010 > 2010|author=|date=7 December 2010|accessdate=2 December 2018}}</ref> The Asian Voice Political and Public Life awarded Allirajah in 2011 its "International Entrepreneur of the Year" award.<ref name=mnews5>{{cite web |url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/economy/article1485786.ece |title=Asian bags international entrepreneur award for 2011 |date=24 February 2012 |publisher=The Hindu Business Line |accessdate=21 March 2012}}</ref>

In 2012 the English Asian Business Awards presented Allirajah with the "2011 Power Business of the Year" award, recognizing the growth of the Lycamobile business globally,<ref name=mnews6>{{cite web |url=http://www.asianimage.co.uk/news/united_kingdom/9574311.Honour_for_English_Asian_Business_awards_winners/ |title=Honour for English Asian Business award winners |date=7 March 2012 |publisher=Asian Image |accessdate=21 March 2012}}</ref> as well as the "Social Entrepreneur of the Year" award.<ref name=mnews7>{{cite web |url=http://www.easterneye.eu/ABAwards/index.php?page=Awards |title=Winners of 2012 Asian Business |date=2 April 2012 |publisher=Asian Business Awards |accessdate=3 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403064828/http://www.easterneye.eu/ABAwards/index.php?page=Awards |archive-date=3 April 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Subaskaran, Allirajah}} Category:1972 births Category:Living people Category:English people of Sri Lankan Tamil descent Category:Sri Lankan Tamil people Category:Sri Lankan businesspeople Category:Lyca Productions Category:Businesspeople in the telecommunications industry