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K R Vijayan with Kerala Minister Mohd Riyas. (Express photo) K R Vijayan, Kochi-based tea stall owner, whose trips across the world with his wife earned them near-global fame, died of a heart attack here on Friday, family sources said. He was 71.
Vijayan and his wife Mohana owned a modest tea stall ‘Sri Balaji Coffee House’ here and became famous after they funded their world tours from their earnings. The couple recently returned from a family tour of Russia. The two used to save Rs 300 daily from their earnings from the tea stall and travelled to Israel in 2007, their first journey outside the country.
Kerala Tourism salutes K R Vijayan (Balaji), the intrepid traveller who embarked on his final journey today. The many milestones in his life and his courage to travel off the beaten track will always be remembered. #globetrottercouple #VijayanAndMohana
📸 Vijayan Mohana pic.twitter.com/UgKAW1E91U
— Kerala Tourism (@KeralaTourism) November 19, 2021
In the last 14 years, the couple had visited 26 countries. The couple used to take small loans also to fund the trips. As the news of the couple travelling across the world became viral, they started getting sponsors like industrialist Anand Mahindra who in 2019 sponsored their visit to Australia after coming to know about them from the social media. Their last trip to Russia was on October 21 and they returned on October 28. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic-induced lockdown, their last trip before the one to Russia was in November-December 2019.
“Provider of my parippu vadas, pazham pori and chai at least twice a week, the teller of travel tales, young-at-heart buddy, the globe-trotting tea-seller of Ernakulam, Vijayan passes away. He had just returned from Russia where his wish was to meet Putin,” well-known writer N S Madhavan tweeted.
Vijayan is survived by wife, two daughters Sasikala, Usha and three grandchildren. The mortal remains would be cremated this evening.
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