Rajesh Kurup Mumbai, December 18

Billionaire and philanthropist Richard Branson, who is also the founder of Virgin Group which controls more than 400 companies, says he has an Indian connection. His great, great grandmother was an Indian, actually from Chennai.

“I was reading up on my Indian relatives on the plane, and I didn’t know until I did this programme that my great, great grandmother was an Indian. She was from Madras,” he said.

“Nobody looks like an Indian… We had four generations of Bransons living in India, one or two of them were born here and I am sure their spirits would be delighted as we are talking about this project (hyperloop) today,” he said.

The programme Branson was talking about a TV show where he gave a little saliva from his tongue was taken and analysed (DNA analysis).

Branson, whose Virgin Galactic is racing to launch tourists into space, had earlier said that he was a “little jealous” of Elon Musk’s progress in the space programme. “Elon is a good friend and we are friendly competitors,” he said.

He also wants to take Prof. Stephen Hawking, one of the most brilliant minds in science today, to space if the latter is physical fit. In case, Hawking’s health doesn’t permit, there is somebody else Branson has in mind.

“We have a big announcement to make. Watch the space, we have got some exciting things happening this year,” is all he would say.

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