Cochin International Airport is the first greenfield airport in the country built with a public-private partnership. Planned and constructed from scratch, the airport has been acclaimed for setting a novel idea in infrastructure development. The astonishing public participation, relentless support from NRIs, and effective leadership have made CIAL, the company that built and operates the airport, an international brand. It's also the first airport in the world fully powered by solar energy. Mr.V.J.Kurian IAS is the founder managing director of the company and the project itself is his brainchild. With the guidance and patronage of Late Mr.K.Karunakaran, former Chief Minister of Kerala, Mr.Kurian could materialize a never before the idea of building an international airport with a public-private partnership. He was responsible for the entire project from conception to making the company a runaway success. The company showcases a sustainable business model which always adheres to people, community, and culture. The balance sheet also is sound as the profit ratio exceeds 35%. The paid-up capital of the company is Rs.382.57 Cr with over 19,000 shareholders from 31 countries. Over the years, the company accrued gross assets worth Rs. 2455.64 Cr. which includes three sprawling terminals having two million SFT of the area and offering state of the art passenger facilities, a convention centre, a golf course, and an aircraft maintenance hangar. The company has been paying dividends from 2003-04 and with the year 2019-20, the total dividend pay-out has touched 282%. The company has been paying dividends from 2003-04 and with the year 2019-20, the total dividend pay-out has touched 282%. Ever since commercial operations started on 10th June 1999 with the International flight to Dammam., CIAL, has grown rapidly becoming the 4th largest International Airport in India in terms of international passenger traffic in just four years. CIAL recorded a cumulative annual growth rate of nearly 20% in the initial 8 years and thereafter at 12% with annual passenger traffic touching 7.7 million in 2015-16. The airport handled 8.9 million passengers during 2016-17 and the weekly aircraft movements stand around 1200. For the first time in its history, the passenger volume for a single financial year (2017-18) touched 10 million on 28th March 2018. Since then, the airport has been handling around 10M passengers a year.CIAL is the World’s first airport fully powered by solar energy. The eco-friendly initiative of CIAL won international accolades including “ The Champions of the Earth Award-2018 “ from the United Nations. At present, the total installed capacity of solar power plants at CIAL is 40MWpThere are 24 airline companies operate from the airport today, which facilitates direct connectivities to GCC, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia. The MRO facility by CIASL, a fully owned subsidiary of CIAL, has obtained certifications from DGCA,-India, GCAA-UAE; SLCAA-Sri Lanka and is providing engineering services to Sri Lankan Airlines, Etihad, Gulf Air, etc. After Serving CIAL for nearly two decades in three stints, Sri.V.J.Kurian stepped down as MD on 09th June 2021. Sri.S.Suhas IAS, District Collector, Ernakulam assumed the additional charge of the Managing Director, CIAL on that day.