Real Leaders CUSTODIANS of responsible real estate
Real Leaders Custodians Of Responsible Real Estate Real Leaders |
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Publisher Atul Pandey Features Editor Reema Behl Writer Ananya Khosla Marketing Team Prachi Tandon Shivani Tripathi Bhavya Singh Anisa Kapoor Garima Kapoor Design Director Madhu Kashyap Graphic Designer Manoj Kumar Copy Editor Kavitha Shenoy Production Manager Pritam Singh ISBN Details
ISBN No. 978-81-910523-5-0 Volume : 1.0 / Year : 2013-14 Price : INR 2,000/- US $50
Copyright@100Communications All right reserved reproduction in any form is strictly prohibited. All images are used on good faith & we do not take any responsibility of the copyright of the same & that shall rest exclusively with the provider / source.
Photography: Neha Bahl
Printer, Publisher- Atul Pandey Published From: 1/6, LGF, Sarva Priya Vihar, New Delhi-110016. Printed at EIH Limited Unit: Printing Press, Plot No. 22, Sector-5, IMT Manesar, Gurgaon - 122050 Haryana
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Programe Name
Contents
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09 11 21 23
About The Book Publisher’s Note Because We Care ivek Kumar, Aamby Valley City & V Hotel Sahara Star
25 T. Chitty Babu, Akshaya Pvt. Ltd. 27 M R Jaishankar, Brigade Group r. S K Garg, Eldeco 29 DInfrastructure & Properties Ltd.
31 Jaiprakash Gaur, Jaypee Greens 33 Mofatraj P. Munot, Kalpataru Group 35 Satish Gupta, Mantra Properties 37 Sushil Mantri, Mantri Developers 39 Irfan Razack, Prestige Group 41 PNC Menon, Sobha Developers Ali, South India Shelters 43 MPvt.ohamed Ltd.
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The practice of CSR In India
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The Butterfly Dreams
52 And She Whispered Sweet Nothings
54 And She Will Spread Her Fragrance
56 Driven By Her Desire To Be Known
58 A Voice, Waiting To Rise
60 Happiness Resides In A World Beyond The Skies
63 When Desires Fade Away
64 Some Dreams Unfulfilled, Some Unseen
66 A Smile So Contagious
68 The Leader In The Making
70 All Things Nice And Beautiful
45 Ram Kishor Arora, Supertech Ltd. 47 Brotin Banerjee, Tata Housing
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About The Book
About The Book When we talk of Corporate Social Responsibility, we often think of ‘charity’ or a company that does some ‘good.’ Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR is however much more than just a feel-good factor that companies can add to their portfolio. In today’s testing times, a common public perception is that real estate developers only care about money making. However, there are many who have gone beyond the business and broken the myth of ‘only for profit approach’ associated with the realty industry. These ‘Real Leaders’ have used their CSR imperatives to integrate the social and environmental concerns of their employees, stakeholders, and consumers to create a harmonious balance between their various approaches. They believe in giving back to the society and are the ‘humane face’ of the industry. They bring respectability to the industry in a nation where millions are in need of helping hands and caring hearts. Unlike charity or philanthropy that aims at merely reducing poverty, they ensure that their Corporate Social Responsibility can both strengthen and improve the reputation of their company and increases its valuable contribution to society. In a bid to align itself with global development norms, the CSR cell of a company aims at more than just profit. Apart from financial security, the CSR initiative must insist and inculcate the most efficient means of achieving the least negative environmental impact on society. The three main branches of CSR involve a company’s approach towards Health, Education and the Environment.
Another important area in the field of CSR is sustainability. A lot of developers have today aimed at sustainable initiatives to ensure lasting growth and development. When properly implemented, a good CSR program can simultaneously increase productivity, sales and profits, competition, efficiency, customer loyalty, risk management and corporate branding. The problem arises when every company defines CSR in a different manner and can also choose a different way to communicate the efficacy of its efforts. For a stakeholder or shareholder, these random methods of reporting can be confusing as well as exhausting to decipher. To add to this, some developers submit CSR reports only sporadically and then too not as per universal guidelines. To ensure that they are on the right track in terms of CSR, it is important to collate and evaluate its activities on a regular basis. This type of reporting serves to meet the expectations of the shareholders and stakeholders and acts as an impetus for future decisions about modifying their CSR activities. This book caters to you – the consumer and stakeholder’s thirst for information and the truth about the Top Indian CSR initiatives. Treat this publication as a comprehensive compilation of the efforts of various real estate developers in the fields of education, health, environment and other fields. We believe that as the shifting trends of CSR practices amongst real estate developers move into the future, a closer look at the current approaches is the best way to ensure credibility and performance. We also hope that the information collated in this book serves as a bible and a guide for other real estate developers and to encourage behavior change en masse.
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A Real(ty) Leader is the humane face of the realty sector who goes beyond the business in the true sense.
Dear Reader, Today we live in times where the notion of the rich becoming richer and poor becoming poorer is a realism. On one side we have an urbanized India that lives in facility rich metros and on the other is the vast India of smaller towns and villages still seeking the basics. As the growth story of India unfolds, it needs to spread to the far corners and the reach of development has to be overall. This is possible only when those who have, reach out to those who have not. And there are many in the society, especially in corporate India who have been doing exactly the same. When it comes to the real estate, again there are developers who have gone beyond the business and have taken their social responsibility seriously and sincerely. These are the realty leaders who defy the common perception of real estate being an only for profit enterprise. These are the “Real Leaders� of real estate in India. And their exemplary social initiatives have encouraged us to bring them together in this publication. We do hope that this book shall help motivate many more to undertake their corporate social responsibility more seriously and help us build a better business society that believes in giving back as it earns. It is a humble attempt in that direction and we are sure it will go a long way in times to come. A big thanks to my team, who sifted through every facet of a large number of real estate organizations’ social initiatives to select the Real Leaders presented in this volume of the book.. Best wishes, Atul Pandey
Photography: Neha Bahl Real Leaders |
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The Practice Of Csr In Indian Realty Real Leaders |
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In an industry such as real estate and construction, where large numbers of people are affected by its functioning, being socially responsible is proving to be more and more important in ensuring sustained growth. Philanthropy and charity are concepts hardly new to India Inc. Contrary to the current trend, these concepts have been essential contributors to growth and development strategies of Corporate India since the time of independence. In order to fulfill their spiritual and social obligations, wealthy merchants spent their wealth on the building of local worship places. It later evolved with the Indian industrialists taking cues from Gandhi and his notion of ‘trusteeship’ in the period where Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) took center stage for social development. Around this time, in 1953, economist Howard Bowen coined the term ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ in his publication ‘Social Responsibility of Businessmen’. He was the first one to question the responsibilities of a business towards society. Since then, businesses have infused this concept in their working DNA to become catalyst of change and development of a dynamic society. India Inc. has grown to adapt many variants of successful CSR models. The concept of being responsible towards stakeholders has graduated to the stage that some of the top names in Indian CSR have reinvented their thought process and as a result rebranded the term as “Creating Shared Value”. Market leaders in the food sector are focusing their efforts on their forte – nutrition and similarly other market leaders on their area of work. They also incorporate water conservation and rural development schemes to their agenda, thereby addressing escalating and complex human problems through social and economic initiatives.
Market leaders across industries are increasingly seeing CSR not as a cost, but as an investment. So much so that certain corporates in India were spending over 2% of their profit after tax on CSR in fiscal year 201112, much before the realization of the New Companies Act. Corporate India in many fields is dominated by large corporations and similar offshoots from traditional, well established businesses of the past. These corporate operate as a single holding company with multiple subsidiaries operating in various markets and industries both globally and within the local market. The CSR initiatives undertaken
by such corporations are more effective and have a wider reach as they implement their initiatives right through to their subsidiaries and individual business units. The involvement of the subsidiaries ensures incorporation of CSR at a smaller scale, specific to the area of operations of each unit, thereby making an impact at grassroot levels. When it comes to real estate, one finds a range of CSR initiatives meted out by large and established Indian realty developers. Today they are working in areas such as education, undertake valuable skill building activities, empower women and contribute to child health through collaborations with hospitals as well as medical centers. Putting their contracting and construction expertise to use, many developers and construction magnates have undertaken rural development projects. Carbon heavy industries such as construction have the opportunity to undertake ‘green’ and sustainable initiatives. It is admirable that many firms have set goals pertaining to climate change, water conservation and aim at making themselves carbon neutral; an effort that they choose to report periodically. An increasingly large number of real estate companies are going for LEED certification of buildings intended for all purposes. As per the Indian Green Building Council, there are approximately 400 rated green buildings in the country, a number rapidly on the rise. These and other sustainable development initiatives allow corporates to show their resolve and commitment to play a positive role
towards building and sustaining the ecosystem in which they themselves exist and operate. An observation shows that many developers believe that the working conditions of laborers and low-level employees must be improved. The efforts made in this direction, which include crèches at work sites, using certified tools and machines, precautionary measures for injuries and ready availability of medical aid, are undergoing. A handful of Indian real estate companies began socially inclined projects by the time the term ‘CSR’ was developed. Although, having started from a modest place, they now are taking their CSR policies very seriously. It is rightly said by the Chairman of CREDAI, Mr. Lalit Kumar Jain, “Today CSR is no more an exception but has become a norm and this social responsibility, which may also be called as Moral Social Responsibility, need to be cultivated compassionately - as a strong CSR program is an essential element in achieving good business practices and effective leadership.” The new age Indian consumer is much more aware of the relationships that corporations maintain with their stakeholders. This fact is of more significance to real estate developers and those related to the construction industry as they interact with their customers at a very personal level. Though many Indian companies in the real estate and other industries have been realizing the importance of being socially responsible
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through the years, trends have shown that they, as whole, will need to do more to comply by the 2% CSR standard required of them as necessitated by the New Companies Act. Undertaking CSR gives a corporate the chance to reveal a different side to its stakeholders. It impacts the brand image and the brand associations of these companies, also adding a sense of approachability in the view of the customer. Today, customers are more aware of who they are buying from and consciously choose to buy from those companies whom they believe are serving the society.
Companies that set goals with a social obligation or align themselves with social necessities such as those listed as the United Nations Millennium Development Goals have proved to contribute far more valuably to society in every aspect, when compared with others. Corporates have also proven more effective in undertaking projects that are linked with their core operations. Corporate Social Responsibility and its many facets are as easily visible in India and the world over. Now that India Inc. has a concrete base set, it needs to find the impetus to help see its societal goals come through. Photography: Neha Bahl
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Because
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Visions For A
Sustainable Future Vivek Kumar has been associated with Sahara India Pariwar in several capacities. From development of Air-Sahara to an official spokesperson of the group, anchoring many social and political programs on Sahara television, organizing several sporting events sponsored by the group, he has fit into many roles with such dexterity that today he is the Chief Executive Officer of not just Aamby Valley but also the Hotel Sahara Star.
I strongly believe in the Fitzgerald prophecy: Sustainability is here to stay or we may not be.
Vivek Kumar CEO, Aamby Valley & Hotel Sahara Star
In the opinion of the leader, CSR can play a role in building customer loyalty based on distinctive ethical values and rules of governance. He puts CSR and environment conservation initiatives together under the broad head of ‘Sustainable Development’ and that has been the guiding force behind the development of Aamby Valley City. Vivek Kumar has led Aamby Valley to develop a holistic CSR programme that integrates various initiatives including infrastructural development, environmental initiatives, social development initiatives, education, health management and many others. Aamby Valley has made generous donations to various villages in the vicinity of the city and helped in various activities there including Construction of Schools, providing free meal to the onsite workers including 300 village labourers. Drinking water is provided through a tanker in
summer days and as required on special events. Believing that education shapes up the true personality of a human being, various educational initiatives have also been implemented by Mr Kumar in the villages there. These include vocational training (ITI) in different trades in respect of those village students who have passed SSC (10th Grade), Adult Education Program along with Zilla Parishad and IIE, Pune for villagers, Health Education to kids, books, bags and study materials provided free of cost to some children. On April 1, 2013, Aamby Valley launched the Aamby Abhiyaan to coincide with the commemoration of Late Sri Sudhir Chandra Roy’s 100th Birth Anniversary. A team of climbers led by Everest conqueror Narinder Singh of Aamby Valley City carried out an expedition to Mount Shivling in the Himalayas. During the course of the trek, the Aamby Abhiyaan team successfully executed the 4-day medical camp in 21 villages benefitting 23 villages in the region, namely Aghoda, Dhasada, Dandalka, Gajoli and others. Most of the villages were off road, which involved heavy trekking with the school kits and medicines to the villages. The initiative by Aamby Valley City was praised by the government medical setup and also by people who benefitted from the same. The team was honoured by a certificate for the noble cause.
Aamby Valley City As Independent India’s first planned Hill city, Aamby Valley has pioneered a number of sustainable development initiatives. The Group’s effort in contributing significantly to the rapid economic growth along with committed endeavour to conserving the natural and ecological resources, does challenge the traditional business management theory, which holds that there is ’only one responsibility of business: to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits.’ A number of sustainable development initiatives, including afforestation / rural forestry; greening, landscape protection and biodiversity; renewable energy resource development programme; sustainable village and community development for the welfare and social upliftment of local and neighbouring communities have been undertaken by Aamby Valley City. With almost 91 per cent of open spaces and unending green cover that boasts of over 25 kms of waterfront, three manmade lakes and 11 water bodies, Aamby Valley is perhaps one of the greenest places in India.
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Looking Through The
Green Glass A civil engineer by profession Mr. T.Chitty Babu established Akshaya Pvt Ltd in the year 1995.
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We view the world through the green glass, making it better with every step.
T. Chitty Babu Chairman & CEO, Akshaya Pvt Ltd.
Committed to truth and fair practices, he has developed Akshaya as one of the few companies that firmly advocates the cause of transparency. He came up with the unique initiative called Akshaya Home Facts which empowers the customer with their home buying rights. Akshaya Cares is the CSR wing of the company which focuses on environmental and socio-economic development of the society. Initiatives including conservation and preservation of water bodies in and around Chennai, urban afforestation campaigns and following eco-friendly practices while construction of their buildings are implemented by the organization. In a unique endeavour, a plant is gifted to every visitor at Akshaya in order to make the public responsible towards their green cover. In project TODAY Akshaya retained a 65-year-old Banyan tree by moving the foundation and in another project, they designed the building in a manner that all 17 trees are retained. All Akshaya projects also come with sewerage treatment plant and water treatment plant to recycle the water and waste. A nature walk was organised by Akshaya to rediscover the lost aspects of the local
natural habitat and creating habitat in OMR near Kazhipattur River, Chennai. Over 100 kids and parents took part in installing over 12 nests of 3 categories for 13 different species of birds and also home to the Indian Bond turtles. Akshaya also revived the local stream on the OMR Road near Padur that was fast disappearing. Under the leadership of Mr Babu, Akshaya has tied up with internationally awarded Environment foundation of India which restores, conserve and preserves the water bodies. The company has been associated with Anant Education where we have been providing education free to economically weaker sections of the society irrespective of any caste, creed or race. Under Akshaya cares, it has also been promoting charity and supporting various sections of society. For instance, it has provided support to the Hindu mother’s day programme, yet to be launched kids safety campaign targeted at anxious parents and other events which celebrate mothers and empower women. Akshaya’s initiatives and the social development dreams of Mr Babu don’t end here. The CSR wing of Akshaya is constantly in search of initiatives to improve society and is always open to events and member of society to support such causes.
Akshaya Pvt. Ltd. Akshaya was founded in 1995 under the stewardship of Mr. T. Chitty Babu, a qualified Civil Engineer. Since its inception Akshaya has set higher standards for itself, inspired by the Sanskrit origin of its name, which means ‘endless pursuit’. It has grown into one of the most respected real estate companies in the state, reputed for its transparent business practices and innovation. The journey over the last 2 decades has seen the company grow by leaps and bounds, as it went about creating 152 landmarks in Tamil Nadu. In an endeavour to excel and set higher standards of performance and corporate governance, the management team has on board professionals from various other industries to head the Marketing, Technical, Finance, Sales & Customer Relations, Branding, Legal, MR for ISO Audits & Safety and Human Resource divisions. The team of more than 230 qualified members has combined experience of over 1400 years. Akshaya’s core values of transparency, clear titles and ethical business practice, clearly set the company apart. It strictly adheres to statutory norms, making it unique in its own light. Today, Akshaya is on the cusp of a huge expansion drive with projects in some of the major markets in South India. Akshaya is already on the verge of completing premium residential and commencing luxury homes & commercial projects in Coimbatore, Trichy and Madurai in addition to Chennai.
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Making A Difference Where It
Matters M R Jaishankar established Brigade Group in 1986 as a young entrepreneur. The company’s very first project was the tallest building to be constructed by a private developer in Bangalore.
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We feel the responsibility of giving people a better quality of life lies with us.
MR Jaishankar
Chairman and MD, Brigade Group
Mr Jaishankar’s leadership, commitment to quality and passion has enabled Brigade Group’s portfolio to cover a wide range of projects in all domains of property development today. Over the 27 years of Brigade’s evolution, Mr Jaishankar has forayed into various initiatives especially in Bangalore and Mysore. Under the leadership of Mr. Jaishankar, Brigade Group has undertaken many social initiatives like remodeling and renovating various buildings and roads in Bangalore. Brigade Group in association with Rotary Bangalore Midtown instituted the annual state wide Young Achiever Awards to recognise and encourage the proven and demonstrable outstanding achievements of youngsters in Karnataka and has been successfully held for seven years. Brigade Group is in the process of forming a not-for-profit social business enterprise to create housing for economically weaker sections of the society.
In order to preserve the musical culture, Brigade Group is contributing towards the construction of The Centre for Indian Music Experience—a first-of-itskind experiential museum of music in India. It is a non-profit initiative of the Brigade Millennium Welfare Trust and is supported by Brigade Group. Passionate about preservation of wildlife, M R Jaishankar has worked towards associating with the Animal Adoption Scheme of Bangalore’s Bannerghatta Biological Park. As a part of their CSR initiative to improve the life of people, Brigade Group undertook the complete redevelopment of a park at Malleswaram in Bangalore. Rain water harvesting pits have been created at strategic locations of the park for ground water recharging. In order to fulfil the dreams of sports enthusiasts in the city of Bangalore, Brigade Group also developed a grand playground in Malleswaram in August this year. Through these various social initiatives, the Brigade stamp of innovation, quality and trust has spread across various sectors, a mark that is consistently being upgraded by M R Jaishankar’s continual efforts to provide a better quality of life.
Brigade Group Brigade Group commenced operations in 1986, and over the years has evolved into a brand that is synonymous with Innovation, Quality, Trust and Customer Satisfaction. Headquartered in Bangalore, Brigade Group has a network of offices across South India, an office in Dubai, and is represented in the USA by an accredited agent, Legion Real Estate. Brigade Group’s portfolio includes residential, office, retail, hospitality and education. Brigade introduced the concept of serviced Apartments to Bangalore in 2001. Today, the Group has strengthened and diversified its hospitality portfolio to five star hotels – including the Sheraton Bangalore Hotel @ Brigade Gateway and Grand Mercure -spas, recreational clubs and convention centres in Bangalore and other parts of South India. Brigade Group’s commitment for continuous upgrade and best practices is reflected in its certification as an ISO 9001: 2008 company. With over 20 million sq.ft. of developed real estate, across over 100 projects, Brigade has emerged as one of India’s leading property developers, and is constantly setting new benchmarks in the real estate industry.
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Envisioning
A Better World
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Nothing yours, nothing mine, let’s come together to help those who really need it.
Dr. Shiv Kumar Garg Chairman, Eldeco Group
Dr SK Garg’s journey began with a sum of Rs 30,000 that was taken on loan. Today, he has built a conglomerate with an annual turnover of Rs 500 crores. At the age of 72, his passion for his business and the drive to give back to the society are what keep him going, and even today he contributes over 12 hours every day to his work. Honoured with numerous awards and felicitations, Dr Garg has tenaciously tried to amalgamate his professionalism with socialism, proving that a successful business leader can be a successful social entrepreneur as well.
Trust works for the benefit of rural youth in various trades of the industry including job assurance thereafter for both boys and girls, life time pension to war widows, assistance towards higher education for the meritorious poor students, assistance to bring the physically disabled, blind, deaf and dumb, and tribal boys and girls to the mainstream society, marriage of girls and widows from financially backward classes, financial help for various areas of medical needs like heart and kidney transplants, and for cancer patients.
Stepping beyond the realm of mere distribution of funds to the needy, Dr Garg has extended his unflinching support towards the skill development of the differently abled and the marginalised, making them self-reliant.
The Trust also runs Bal Sewa Kendras at ongoing projects to impart basic education and hygiene to the children of workers employed at various sites including provision of mid-day meals, uniforms, books etc.The Trust has made contributions in the area of telemedicine and presented a mobile bus to SGPGIMS, Lucknow.
Eldeco meets its CSR goals through the Late Dr KL Garg Memorial Charitable Trust, with Dr SK Garg contributing 66% of his wealth to the corpus of the Trust. This
With the altruistic and selfless approach that Dr Garg has developed in his business, he has certainly set an example for many across the globe.
Eldeco Housing & Industries Ltd. The Eldeco Group was founded in 1975 with the objective to promote a real-estate and construction company on the ideals of transparency and sound business ethics. The Group has been at the forefront of real estate development in north India. Eldeco has companies namely Eldeco Housing & Industries Ltd., Eldeco Infrastructure & Properties Ltd., Eldeco Build Well, Eldeco Township & Housing under its purview today and operates in areas like township development, residential group housing, commercial complexes, SEZ and shopping malls.
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The Conscientious
Corporate Leader
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A great leader’s courage to fulfill his dreams, comes from conviction, not his position.
Jaiprakash Gaur Founder Chairman, Jaypee Greens
Founder and Chairman of the Jaypee Group, Shri Jaiprakash Gaur has been one of the most successful spearheads across global landscapes and a witness to all triumphs his dream has earned over its due course of time. He started life in a village school and ended up creating a 20,000 crore infrastructure conglomerate.
Massive afforestation drives are conducted by the group at all their projects. Extensive soil tests conducted at all their sites before commencement of a project and only those plants that are conducive to the soil are planted, resulting in an 85 per cent survival rate across the various locations.
The Jaypee story is not a story of privilege or entitlement. It is a story of tenacity, relentless grit and self belief that enabled a small town boy to convert his dreams into India’s growth story.
Jaypee Greens, the real estate brand of the Jaypee Group, ensures that the highest standards are followed in every project they undertake ensuring minimum waste production and staying true to its name, making every structure they create to be as green as possible. The Group’s Intelligent Design Approach ensures that no resettlement or rehabilitation issues arise during the massive hydroelectric projects that it undertakes.
From1958 till today, the Jaypee Group and the various brands under it, including Jaypee Greens, have tried to strike the right balance between the importance of building a developed India and improving the standard of life at the grass root level. Thus building a high school for small-town children with big dreams or village-level self-help centre that empowers a local woman to re-write her family’s future is equally important as building a dam as high as a hundred storey building or a 168-kilometer long 6-lane super-highway. In 1993, Shri Gaur established the Jaiprakash Sewa Sansthan (JSS) to bring the many not-forprofit activities of the group under one common umbrella. The Sansthan today spearheads one of the largest altruistic programmes run by any single-entity corporate anywhere in the country. Shri Gaur is a firm believer of the fact that to build India one has to start by building schools. He has established 28 schools in the backward districts of the country, enrolling 30,000 students. In an ambitious expansion of education programme, the Jaiprakash Sewa Sanasthan (JSS) proposes to establish many institutions by 2014, which will have an enrolment of 2 lakh students.
In some of India’s most remote outposts, Shri Jaiprakash Gaur has tried to execute major healthcare programmes free of cost. Every employee of the Jaypee Group pays for these programmes in order to carry forward the empathetic and altruistic approach of Shri Gaur. The Group has contributed towards mobile X-ray vans, cutting-edge intensive-care ambulances, 14 hospitals and 28 dispensaries manned by hundreds of doctors and nurses across various Indian states. With such holistic and comprehensive initiatives, the Jaypee Group has worked towards the progression of rural and urban India alike. Shri Jaiprakash Gaur’s futuristic approach and vision has made him the honourable recipient of numerous prestigious accolades including the Highest Civilian Honour of Bhutan but the true reward for him is the smiles that he has managed to put on people’s face.
Jaypee Greens Since the inception of Jaypee Greens, the real estate brand of the Jaypee Group, in the year 2001, it has been creating unique lifestyle real estate experiences for all to marvel. Jaypee Greens Greater Noida, India’s first ever golf-centric project in the year 2001, brought about a ground-breaking shift in perception of real estate. The company came about with their second project in Noida arching up to four times the size of the first project in 2007Jaypee Greens Wish Town Noida. The group undertook Jaypee Greens Sports City spread over an astounding 2500 acres retrofitted with a 5.14 kilometer motor racetrack, a go-kart facility, and a 35,000 seat- capacity cricket stadium, coupled with luxurious villas and apartments. The company engaged in the Yamuna Expressway project along with a mega integrated township projects along the expressway. This impressive access controlled expressway scales up to 165 kilometers connecting Delhi to Agra and reducing travel time by half. The company’s philosophy & ideology has a strong hold in its research and planning empower, this provides the country with most significant and memorable projects. The company caters to a 360 degree approach and the brand initiatives act as an umbrella to enhance customer connect with the brand, the company and the projects.
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Visionary
With A Mission Mr. Mofatraj Munot, the Founder, Promoter and Chairman of the Kalpataru Group, is a man of exemplary vision and enterprise. He has led an Indian company, over four decades ago, to international shores and proven the competency and capabilities of an Indian company in housing & infrastructure sector. As a passionate philanthropist, Mr. Munot has imbibed his vision of environment and societal welfare in the organisational culture of Kalpataru. Under his able guidance, the Group has undertaken various social and development initiatives through structured programmes.
We want to touch as many lives as we can and make all of them a part of our extended family.
Mofatraj P. Munot
Chairman, Kalpataru Group
Being a founding member of IGBC, Kalpataru is actively involved in promoting the green building concept in India. The company undertakes numerous initiatives across projects resulting in efficient utilization of water resources including sewage water recycling plant, efficient irrigation and rainwater harvesting systems. The company also conducts Energy Audits on a tri-annual basis with the help of an external agency at all its project sites. Solar water heating systems have been installed at various projects like Srishti, Siddhachal and Kalpataru Hills thus significantly reducing Carbon dioxide emissions. Kalpataru partners with Mumbai Mobile Crèches, a leading NGO, which works in the area of Workers Children Education/ Nutrition and Health. Labour health camps are also organised at all Kalpataru project sites. Being an ardent humanitarian, Mr. Munot started Munot Foundation, a public charitable
trust in 1988 with a single point focus of community engagement. The foundation actively runs corporate service programs on specific social issues in areas like environment, community development, healthcare and education. Mr Munot also started KalpaSeva Arogya Kendra a Multi-Specialty Dispensary with ultra-modern facilities (XRay, Sonography, Dental etc) and pathological laboratory which offers health care facilities for the underprivileged. The Munot Foundation has been organising regular Osteopathy Camps at Kalpataru Synergy in Mumbai. It also conducted a Free Mobile Surgical and Eye Camp for the citizens of Pipar and its neighbouring cities which benefitted over 9000 people. He has led numerous other initiatives like organising Jaipur foot camp, sponsoring ambulances and mobile medical units besides helping needy families affected by floods and droughts in different years. With the objective of inculcating moral and ethical values in young children, Mr. Mofatraj Munot supports numerous education institutions which conduct Swadhyay Pathshalas in various cities thus grooming the children for a better tomorrow. He has also been instrumental in setting up a school at his birth place Pipar city known as Smt. Suganidevi Pukharaj Munot Rajakiya Ucha Madhyamik Vidyalaya, named after his parents. Mr. Munot firmly believes that we should all recognize the importance of living in balance with nature and treat every human being with equal dignity and equality.
Kalpataru Group Established by the first generation entrepreneur, Mr. Mofatraj P. Munot, Kalpataru Limited is the flagship Real Estate Company of the Kalpataru Group with companies like Kalpataru Power Transmission Limited, Shree Shubam Logistics Limited, JMC Projects (India) Limited, Property Solutions India Pvt. Limited, Caprihans India Limited under the umbrella brand. Being one of the largest real estate development companies with a strong presence in western India, Kalpataru Limited is credited for redefining the skyline of urban India and pioneering the concept of lifestyle living. The company has more than 44 years of expertise in creating landmarks projects in the financial hub of the country Mumbai, Thane and Pune. Kalpataru Group is credited with more than 90 landmark edifices covering around 16 million square feet of area and has created an incomparable brand and reputation for itself in the Real Estate industry. Kalpataru Limited is an ISO certified organization since 1998 and has successfully implemented SAP across the organization with IBM as the implementation partner.
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Encouraging
Responsible Development
In a journey that has spanned across four decades, Satish Gupta has attained what can be termed as unprecedented success but his zest for going that extra mile is what makes him a visionary in the true sense. He set out at the young age of twenty-one, armed with nothing more than a conviction in his abilities and the gift of perseverance. Starting with a trading business and modest capital, Satish eventually ventured into construction.
An innovator, philanthropist and entrepreneur extraordinaire.
Satish Gupta President, Mantra Properties
He realized that this was the one business vertical that offered an opportunity to do good for the public at large and simultaneously satisfy his own drive for success. He also realized that the greatest demand for housing came from the very segment that could barely afford it: the middle-class. He envisioned a business that would design and build homes that didn’t just fit middle-class pockets but also raised their living experiences to new levels of delight. In addition to real estate, Satish Gupta’s business interests spread across diverse business sectors. These include, Puranchand and Sons, a trusted name in Institutional Supplies and Logistics, Med DataCare Pro LLC, a one stop solution shop for all administrative and consultative healthcare requirements, Markets and Markets, an international market research company, and Swipe Telecom, emerging telecommunication
corporation catering to diverse cross section of society from common man to conglomerates with advanced solutions. Each and every one of these businesses receives Satish Gupta’s personal attention. To him they are no less than his children and in their success lies his own. Driven by the desire to give back to his society, Satish Gupta has forayed into various sectors with a vision to usher in a change for the better. Besides providing a provision of landscape gardens at all sites and furthering the cause of ‘green and clean buildings’, Mantra Properties also provides free education facility to the children of labourers at their construction site. Every Mantra building is green in terms of the usage of eco friendly material and providing maximum space for garden and green spaces. Mr Satish Gupta lays emphasis on personally visiting the various orphanages and old age homes in Pune and has made generous contributions to many such institutions in Pune city. Mantra Group is also associated with various NGOs through Lala Puranchand Agarwal Charitable Society, a charitable institute. Today Satish Gupta’s own mantra of quality, transparency and innovative thinking is empowering a new lifestyle mantra driven by the sense of responsible development and growth.
Mantra Properties Mantra Properties is one of Pune’s leading builders and developers, a trusted name in high quality construction, timely delivery, responsive customer service and transparent processes. They have presented Pune city with a spectrum of projects ranging from uberluxurious residences to boutique apartments; from high-tech digihomes that offer the ultimate in smart living to residences that define world-class. They also provide across-the-line services from picking the appropriate land parcel to plotting, designing and planning, to developing the plot, if needed, complemented by value-added legal consultancy.
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The Inspired
Philanthropist
Sushil Mantri, the Chairman and Managing Director of Mantri Developers Private Ltd, can well be termed as a business leader with a clear vision for the industry. An alumnus of Harvard Business School, the core of Sushil Mantri’s endeavor is his credo of PQRST (Punctuality, Quality, Reliability, Speed, and Transparency). Mr. Mantri’s new age thinking has enabled Mantri Developers to be the leaders in adopting green technology and environmentally sustainable building practices.
CSR should not be coerced; it is a voluntary decision that the entrepreneurial leadership of every company must make on its own.
To this effect the company entered into a publicprivate partnership with the Government of Karnataka, the first of its kind, to improve and develop Bannerghatta Road in South Bangalore. The team worked towards restoring numerous parks in and around Bangalore. Malleswaram police station in Bangalore was also renovated by Mantri with an aim to create a better environment for the law enforcers. Mantri Developers is a Certified ISO 14001: 2004 on Environmental Management Systems – with a key objective of providing and ensuring safety for people’s lives, environment, property machinery and equipment, products and service. Mr. Mantri is a firm believer in giving back to society and through his various endeavors. His social commitments are in the realms of education for civic development, health improvisation and environmental conservation including green initiatives. Mr. Mantri launched Mantri S.E.V.A (Supporting and Encouraging Voluntary Action) over a year ago with an aim to work towards addressing social issues and serve the community.
Mr.Mantri set up Indus Community School in Bangalore in 2010 for children from the neighbouring villages who are from below the poverty line families. Every student from grade 1 onwards is given one Laptop with internet connection in every classroom. In an effort to bring quality education to children from rural schools, Mr.Mantri had embarked on adopting rural schools to spread the light of education. In 2005, he adopted three village Panchayat schools across various parts of rural Bangalore and in April 2009, he adopted a Zilla Panchayat school in Pune. The amount collected through the sale of his book ‘Big Bets, Big Rewards’ is also given to Mantri S.E.V.A to be used for a noble cause. As an organization Mantri Developers has always believed in encouraging individuals and communities to actively contribute towards the growth and development of society. In appreciation to these CSR activities, Mantri Developers has received many accolades like: Awarded the CSR Initiative of the year- South at the Realty Plus Excellence Awards 2013 - South Best CSR activity by CREDAI awards 2013 - Karnataka CIDC Award for Social Development Impact & Construction Health, Safety & Environment, 2013 CII-ITC Sustainability Award 2013
Sushil Mantri Chairman and MD, Mantri Developers
Mantri S.E.V.A team organises regular CSR activities like Health check-up camp, Heart check-up or Eye-check-up camp for construction workers, book donation, old toys donation, clothes donation and blood donation drive, old news paper collection, sponsor a child campaign, environment supporting initiatives and art & craft exhibitions in association with various NGO’s.
CIDC Vishwakarma Commerative “Medal for Social Initiatives in 2011”. From displaying architectural flair to providing an example of corporate responsibility, Mr. Mantri has demonstrated the power of his vision and the strength of his values.
Mantri Developers The innovation-led, future-focused Mantri Developers Pvt. Ltd. established in 1999 by Sushil Mantri has been the pioneering force behind the rapidly changing skyline of south India, with developments that span the residential, retail, commercial, education and hospitality sectors. Its diversified residential portfolio is cumulatively spread over 20 million sqft of constructed area. The company has a track record of having delivered 1.4 homes, every single day. In just 14 years, the group, with the spirit of innovation at its core, has carved a niche for itself as an industry benchmark for quality, customer focus, robust engineering, in-house research, uncompromising business ethics and the unswerving commitment to timeless values and total transparency in every aspect of its business. These exceptional attributes have made Mantri Developers one of India’s most preferred real estate brands in south India. The company has also recently made a foray into the high-growth area of office leasing. In the realm of retail, Mantri Developers has to its credit the largest mall in India, hosting over 250 retail outlets the Mantri Square in Bangalore, spread over 1.7 million sqft of space. Mantri Developers now foraying into competitive international markets such as Dubai, Singapore and the USA. Besides, being a customer-centric company, with its phenomenal performance, Mantri Developers is also strongly committed to sustainable development and therefore was bestowed with the CII-ITC Sustainability Award 2012, presented by the President of India, Shri. Pranab Mukherjee.
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The Corporate
Idealist
Irfan Razack, CMD, Prestige Group is not only considered the architect of modern Bangalore but is also known as a visionary with a heart of gold. During his journey of success, he continued to work towards the betterment of society. He gave meaning to the phrase ‘corporate citizenship’ and consistently explored new avenues to build partnerships with the community.
Committed to giving our best to the environment we operate in. Without compromise.
Irfan Razack CMD, Prestige Group
Through the Prestige Foundation, Irfan Razack has undertaken several philanthropic initiatives that cater to the community, the environment and its people. The Prestige Group supports the Akshayapatra Foundation in its effort to provide daily meals to millions of needy school children. Mr Razack is a recipient of the widely acclaimed ‘Prestige Citizen Extraordinaire Award’ in association with Rotary Midtown, which honours citizens of Bangalore who have contributed selflessly to the society. Previous recipients of this award include Shri SM Krishna, Dr Devi Shetty, Mr Nandan Nilekani, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and more recently Ms Kiran Mazumdar Shaw. Mr Razack has also been involved with the Friends of Tribals Society who support in providing free teaching material for children who live in the remotest villages and in the adoption of a school. Generous contributions
have been made to Oxfam India’s Teach a Class programme implemented in rural India and Rotary International’s Dictionary Distribution programme as well. He supports the Bangalore Hospice Trust that provides free palliative care to terminal stage cancer patients and assists Global Cancer Concern India in their work. These efforts are also directed towards supporting ‘Asha Niketan’, an organization that helps the differently abled in their skill development. Mr Razack’s contribution to new-age education comes through Inventure Academy, a leading International school in Bangalore, which is distinguished by its focus on providing quality education that stimulates children to use their multiple intelligences in a globalised environment. The company actively engages in green building methodologies that promotes sustainability and strives for more efficient and effective use of energy and materials. The company steadfastly adheres to LEED certification thereby keeping the environment around us healthy. The project CISCO B16 Office space in Bangalore was awarded the Platinum certification under the USGBC’s LEED ID+C rating system. It is one of the highest rated Platinum LEED ID+C projects not just in India but in the entire world.
Prestige Group Prestige Estates Projects Ltd. of the Prestige Group, the flagship company of over Rs 1600 crore, has transformed the architectural landscape of Bangalore with its aesthetic and international-styled developments. The insignia of a falcon crowns every building by Prestige in Bangalore and south India. Among its milestones, the Forum mall is the best retail mall in south India reflecting the highest quality standards. The UB City is a signature statement of a luxury destination while Prestige Shantiniketan is one of Asia’s best examples in mixed development townships, and Oakwood Premier Prestige serviced residences in Hospitality sector. International and National accolades have been consistent with the Prestige Group, motivating and further encouraging the company to achieve greater heights.
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Vision For A Lasting
Change PNC Menon is one name in the corporate world that best personifies commitment to excellence, passion for quality and empathy for the downtrodden. The Forbes billionaire started his entrepreneurial journey from almost nothing. He commenced his journey from an interior decoration firm in the Sultanate of Oman in 1976 and entered the Indian real estate market in 1995 when he founded Sobha Developers.
I cannot uplift the whole world, but I can at least uplift my own village.
PNC Menon Chairman Emeritus, Sobha Developers
Today his brainchild, the Sobha Group is a multinational, multiproduct group with significant interests and investments in the U.A.E., Sultanate of Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Brunei, Tanzania and India. It includes real estate development, contracting, construction, metal working, building services, manufacture of construction materials, architectural and engineering design and consultancy, retail and software. A philanthropist with a deep-felt commitment to social responsibility, he is engaged in numerous charitable causes; he refuses to call it charity, though. For Mr Menon, it is but an obligation to give back to the society a share of what he has earned. The social initiatives undertaken by him have clear goals in specific areas of development and are truly replicable models in the society. They are aimed at key human development verticals like education, health, employment, water, sanitation and housing besides various social empowerment measures.
He has adopted two economically backward panchayats, Vadakkenchery and Kizhakkenchery in Palakkad district in Kerala and launched “Graamasobha”,a unique social upliftment initiative.Some of the key projects include (a) Sobha Hermitage, a world-class home for senior citizens and young widows and their children (b) Sobha Health Care, a primary health centre with high quality amenities for medical treatment (c) Sobha Academy, an exclusive educational institution for the underprivileged children providing world-class education, food and clothing (d) Sobha Vocational Training Centre to train and develop skilled tradesmen from the economically weaker sections of the society (e) social rehabilitation scheme for the poor and (f) dowryless social weddings – all these initiatives are provided totally free of cost. Sobha’s CSR projects have been built keeping the carbon footprint in mind and without making any changes in the terrains of the land. Large waste management plants have been installed to process the waste generated at different sites. In a selfless philanthropic move, Mr PNC Menon recently pledged half his personal wealth to charity. He has been acknowledged with a plethora of awards from various institutes of repute for his contribution towards the industry and society.
Sobha Developers Founded in 1995 with a clear vision to transform the way people perceive quality, Sobha is one of the largest and only backwardintegrated real estate player in the country. In 2006, Sobha went public through its initial public offering, an event that created history when the issue got oversubscribed a record 126 times. Headquartered in Bangalore, Sobha is primarily focused on residential and contractual projects. The Company’s residential projects include residential apartments, villas, row houses, luxury and superluxury apartments, and plotted development along with amenities such as clubhouse, swimming pool and shopping complex. Today, Sobha has made footprints in 23 cities and 13 states across India.
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Leadership, Sagacity &
Social Responsibility Mohamed Ali is one person that has successfully encapsulated all these elements that go into the making of a great leader and taken these further to another level. A competitive corporate environment has not affected his doggedness and he has constantly strived towards going that extra mile, truly making a difference where it matters the most.
Success in business is cherished when you are in hand in hand with social responsibility.
Mohamed Ali
MD, South India Shelters Pvt. Ltd.
As put by the man himself, “Management is not about trying to know everything; but about knowing where to find the right expertise when you need it”. An alumnus of Bits Pilani, he founded S.I.S in the year 2002 and helped it diversify into residential projects, commercial complexes and industrial structures. Mr Ali has spearheaded various social initiatives on behalf of S.I.S as well as on a personal basis. He has been successfully managing Fathima Matriculation Higher Secondary School along with his family members for1000 children for the past 30 years on a nonprofit basis. The school provides full scholarship or partial scholarship to about 15% of the children and operates on the said property without rent,with all the family members involved in the efficient operation and administration of
the school on a day to day basis. Free education is provided for the children of many staff members associated with the Company. Apart from his contribution to the school , Mr Ali and his famliy have been instrumental in providing aids to many families on a personal level by supporting the higher education needs of their children, opening new vistas towards a brighter future and a successful career for them. He has also played a pivotal role in organizing free health check-up campaigns like eye care, diabetic care for their employees at a regular basis, thereby promoting the understanding of healthy living. Investments have also been made along with his family members to strengthen the support mechanism for the patients needing palliative care for their terminal illness. A true believer of the fact that everyone in their lives have to reach a state of mind where the joy of giving back to the society is more enjoyable than the joy of achieving financial success, he wishes his next generation would follow his path to take S.I.S. towards unprecedented glory in the coming decades and have a long-lasting positive impact on the lives of people around them.
South India Shelters Pvt. Ltd. Established in the year 2002 as a real estate development company in Chennai, South India Shelters Pvt Ltd harbours a vision - to incorporate the most modern features and amenities at a reasonable price in their residential projects. Rich experience garnered from the past projects like architect designed independent bungalows, commercial complexes and specialized projects gave S.I.S the necessary impetus to embark into development of multistoreyed residential projects armed with necessary expertise and better customer understanding. The unbridled passion and genuine team effort has helped them in achieving the dream of “Turning Lands into Landmarks” and win numerous International awards and recognitions. A decade of sheer hardwork, resilience and meticulous planning has resulted in timely execution of each and every project undertaken and have embarked on the successful high growth path towards delivering 10 million sq.ft by the year 2020. The company’s core team has a potent mix of youth and experience. The planning and execution of every project is debated amongst the core think tank and suggestions are well taken which always have resulted in a rigorous quality control protocol backed up by a well balanced deployment of human resources to achieve optimum results.
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Committed To A Better
Tomorrow
The feeling is one of immense satisfaction when you see your efforts contribute to social, economic and environmental development..
Ram Kishor Arora Chairman & MD, Supertech Ltd.
Ram Kishor Arora, being the Chairman & Managing Director of Supertech Limited, the flagship Company of Supertech Group, has been controlling the affairs of the company since 1988. A graduate Civil Engineer, Mr. Arora started the company with a vision of providing completeness to modern standards of living. He has been at the forefront of setting up the business initiatives and development functions for Supertech Ltd. and its Subsidiary Companies. The landmark projects – the 66 storied residential tower “North Eye” and the 80 storied mixed use project “Supernova” are some of the latest projects of Supertech Group under the leadership of Mr. Arora. Under the visionary and dynamic leadership of Mr. Arora, Supertech has also launched Hyphen chain of Hotels in Haridwar, Meerut and Noida. His belief is that a content livelihood is not only restricted to living in a quality space but going beyond that and contributing to the society. He is passionate about the company’s pledge to conserve and protect wildlife that the Supertech Group undertook through an instrumental initiative. The company gifted vehicles, like; Gypsy, Motor Bikes, Cycles and electronic devices such as Laptop, LCD Projector and Porta Cabin to Okhla Bird Sanctuary. These gifts were presented to the District Forest Officer of Gautam Buddha
Nagar by Mr. RK Arora at a function held at company’s prestigious project, Supernova, India’s tallest and largest mixed-use development.
Supertech Ltd.
Driven by its commitment to create a better tomorrow, Supertech earlier introduced ‘Kaksha’, a singular initiative to impart quality education to underprivileged children. Under this noble cause, the company provides school uniforms, books and toys to the children free of cost. On every booking of a residential or a commercial property, a fixed percentage of the profit goes to the Kaksha fund. The first ‘Kaksha’ initiative was started at ‘Eco Village I’ project in Noida Extension and it is also been implemented at Meerut. The company aims to expand it to other Indian cities in the future as well.
Since its inception, 25 years ago, Supertech Limited has set new trends of architectural finesse in the contemporary global scenario touching the horizons of excellence. Established under the dynamic leadership of Mr. R. K. Arora, Supertech has led to creation of various landmark projects. It is the first Indian real estate developer to introduce the precast technology, which is a step further in construction. It has also introduced the jump form technology which fastens the construction process of any high rise building.
In its continuing endeavour of keeping the good work and responsibility towards society, the company also has initiated a tree plantation drive, “My Earth My Duty”.
With 40 on-going projects worth Rs. 14,000 Crores in hand, the company has over 75 million square feet under construction.
Under the reign of Mr Arora, the company also solemnized 25 marriages for the poor section of the society as part of its CSR activity. ‘SamuhikVivahSamaroh’ was an initiative undertaken to arrange marriages for those underprivileged families who cannot bear the cost of marriage by themselves. The Samaroh was organized at one of its project site – Supernova, at sector 74 Noida. The company looks forward to make it an annual event.
The company has tied-up with the globally renowned names in the fields of architecture, design and technology including Knight Frank, Buro Happold, Arabian Construction Company among others. For its designer residences at Supernova, Noida the company has tied up with world renowned designer, Armani/ Casa.
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The Green
Visionary
“
Green buildings form a mandate for all our constructions at Tata Housing.
Brotin Banerjee MD & CEO, Tata Housing
In a career spanning 16 years across key Tata Group companies, Brotin Banerjee, MD and CEO of Tata Housing Development Company Limited, has acquired an in-depth understanding of the Indian consumer. One of the youngest MDs of the Tata Group, Mr. Banerjee was the leading force behind the turnaround of a loss making company into a profitable organization, with over 60 million sq ft under various stages of development. During his tenure, Mr. Banerjee has revolutionized the face of the real estate sector, by pioneering innovative concept of low-cost housing under Shubh Griha brand catering to the housing needs of the lower-half of the pyramid. Apart from this, Tata Housing also pioneered Sustainable Integrated Green Township Development, by virtue of which, it is the only player today with a holistic approach to the real estate segment with a pan-India presence. Tata Housing has stood out in the industry for its quality construction, green buildings, ethical & transparent business practices and committed corporate social responsibility initiatives. CSR has been integrated into the business in its true sense as evident from the Sustainability Vision“We would build sustainability into everything we do so that our profitable growth helps reduce inequality and rejuvenates the environment”. Tata Housing is working with nearly 25 NGOs across India including SAMARTH, SWACHH, SRIJAN, SPARSH, BIG (Beautiful is Green) and TAAP along with a few government institutions too. Tata Housing Skill Development initiatives are promoted under SAMARTH brand. Under
SAMARTH, during the year 2012-13, more than 850 youth have been trained in various employability skills of which more than 50 % have been gainfully employed. Tata Housing educational development initiatives is called SRIJAN. In 2012-13, over 34 schools and more than 6000 children have been benefited under various SRIJAN initiatives. Local community infrastructure development is another important area of our sustainability interventions. We have divided this into two clearly defined buckets-toilets & sanitation (SWACHH) and other infrastructure development (SPARSH). Environmental sustainability initiatives are promoted under BIG brand. It is one of the very few real estate companies that measure its entire carbon footprint across the organization. The Green Building Movement in India has been spearheaded by Indian Green Building Council (IGBC). Tata Housing is one of the major contributors in achieving 0.53 Billion square feet out of 1.51 Billion square feet of IGBC certified green building footprint in India. The first real estate group to become a WWFIndia conservation partner in India, it has partnered with WWF-India on twin aspects of Biodiversity Conservation in Mountain Landscapes and Support Initiative Fund for Tiger Conservation, for a period of three years, beginning with December 2012. The company also engages employees in socially useful activities and in this regard has a wellstructured employee volunteering programme called Synergizers.
Tata Housing Established in 1984, Tata Housing is a closely held public limited company and a subsidiary of TATA Sons Limited. Since its revival in late 2006, Tata Housing has evolved into one of the fastest growing real estate development companies in India. With the primary business being the development of properties in residential, commercial and retail sectors, the company’s operations span across various aspects of real estate development, such as Land Identification and Acquisition, Project Planning, Designing, Marketing & Sales, Project Execution, Property Services and Estate Management. By offering products ranging from Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 14 crore, the company has a diversified portfolio of more than 60 million sq.ft. under various stages of development. Besides projects under execution, there is a steady pipeline of projects of over 19 million sq.ft. The company’s mission as a real estate development company is “to delight customers by providing quality life spaces through continuous innovations”. Tata Housing has pioneered the concept of property development by corporates in India. The company has received various industry recognitions both in India and internationally for its landmark projects and contribution to the real estate sector.
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The Butterfly
Dreams 48
As the larva transforms into the butterfly, it signifies an intense transformation. A transformation that leads to a life more colorful - a life of freedom, a life of beauty.. We bring a kaleidoscope of unique tales from kids who aspire to shape the future of our nation, each of them akin to the various stages in the life of a butterfly. Like the butterfly, these kids too wish to fly away, each flower similar to the various destinations where life would take each of them so they eventually soar to unprecedented heights.. Their simple aspirations might seem banal to some but when they hit the right chord, will make you understand how simple it is to be happy but how difficult it is to be simple! Can you provide the wings to the dreams of these children? Can you fulfill these butterfly dreams?
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My Dream Is... 50
Photo Feature by Pravin Talan Words: Reema Behl
NGO Support: Lakshyam, New Delhi
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And She Whispered Sweet Nothings... Sweety doesn’t know her age and she doesn’t know the meaning of her name. She cannot pronounce it properly either. All she knows is she wants to join the police force when she grows up. Witnessing scenes of domestic violence and petty crimes in the six years of her existence, a voice within her tells her to run away from it all. Sweety wants to stay and change things. Her parents might not support her education after she reaches a certain age. She does continue to hope hopelessly though..
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And She Will Spread Her Fragrance... At the age of four, Phuli has already learnt the lesson of life the hard way. She would pounce on all those who would tease her for her small height or unkempt appearance. Phuli often forgets what she studies in the local school she is sent to. At times, she even forgets the names of her brothers and sisters. Phuli invites her best friend for tea every morning before she leaves for school, this serves as her breakfast that she prefers to share with him. She probably doesn’t realize that she is undernourished and hence can’t focus on the school activities or grow in height. She calls herself Phuli because pronouncing her actual name Khushboo is tough for her. Perhaps someday she will spread her fragrance..
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Driven By Her Desire To Be Known... Suman wants appreciation but she would be happy with acknowledgment too. A tenacious girl of 13, she is relentless in her pursuit of making it big in life. From computers to dance, Suman wants to indulge in as much as life can offer her. She reads and re-reads the eighteenth chapter of her text book on Taj Mahal, hoping that someone would make one for her too. For now though, she wants to push her boundaries as much as she can, hoping that one day she would be able to figure out the ‘marvel’ of ‘Facebook’ and people can see her face there. She dreams to make making it big and moving out of her poverty but the only fear lurking over Suman’s dreams is that her parents might send her to their native village and get her married. She would not know whether she would see her face on a computer screen then or not.
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A Voice, Waiting To Rise... 10-year-old Lakshmi is the only girl child of her parents. A sister of three brothers, she is the quiet one. Perhaps she has become quiet over the years. Lakshmi isn’t allowed to watch TV and she doesn’t sleep on the bed at night as those privileges are reserved for the male members of her house. Lakshmi tries to study in between the household chores like filling water for the house and cooking. She aspires to study medicine so that she can devise a mechanism for girls like her to not feel weak and sick while completing the endless chores given to them.
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Happiness Resides In A World Beyond The Skies... Paramjeet goes for a jog at 5.00 am every morning and comes back to grab a piece of bread to eventually run for the household chores. He studies in a government school throughout the afternoon till evening. It is then when he is the happiest even though he does not get to study the subjects of his choice or the teachers don’t turn up. Paramjeet knows he is intelligent but the only dream he has is to build a double story home for his parents. He doesn’t know if it would come true though because he fears he would only be hired as a labourer because of his lack of education. Can he study further? Perhaps he can..
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When Desires Fade Away... Maya doesn’t speak much. There is nothing that one can decipher about her by looking at her mere countenance. She would smile but it would appear bleak. Maya has no friends either in her school or in her neighbourhood. The reticent one doesn’t enjoy music nor does she have any favourites. She doesn’t like playing with dolls or toys. When did a child of eleven learn how to kill all her desires? Was it when she would see her own people fall prey to the menace of gambling or was it when she would have to bear the brunt of a lost bet? Did her circumstances curb her real personality? Whether the true Maya would ever be able to reveal herself, no one knows..
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Some Dreams Unfulfilled, Some Unseen...? At thirteen, Pinky feels she has lived her life. She is the youngest of the six children of her parents. Pinky usually stays within the domains of the one room structure her family calls home. She feels she would step beyond her boundaries by indulging in regular activities like playing, dancing, running around that other kids do. All she wants is to get married at some place away from her home so that she can break away from the self imposed shackles at some level. It is at this far away place where she feels she will find her calling. She wants to become someone who can make people understand the value of educating a girl child and making her independent.
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A Smile So Contagious... Chirpy, vivacious and full of life, Akbar can bring a smile on anyone’s face. An adroit student and a fine artist, he makes decorative items from waste bottles and paper, a skill he learnt on his own. The 13-year-old has gifted many of his art pieces to the local tuition centre of his city where many kids like him are given free training. However, he doesn’t want to pursue this. He wants to become a pilot so that he can fly out of India. He however feels he might not be able to do so as he would not have enough funding for his higher studies and his skills might not be enough to pull him through...
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The Leader In The Making... Sakshi feels shy to smile properly as she has lost all her front teeth. She is the youngest kid of her house and also the brightest one. The biggest quandary of her life is why she isn’t being appointed as the class monitor. She fails to understand the reason behind the delay. Sometimes her teachers don’t turn up, sometimes her classes are cancelled, sometimes she is asked to miss her classes and sent to collect waste bottles and plastic instead. As Sakshi tries to figure out the eternal paradox of her life, little does she realize the multiple levels at which her simple request is thwarted...
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All Things Nice And Beautiful Mayna loves to dress up. Like any other girl, she loves to dress up and collect cloth pieces that she uses in her clothes whenever she gets time. Her favourite clip that she always wears was gifted to her by her mother. Usually happy to go to school and study, she often ends up skipping it as her mother keeps unwell and she has to take care of her younger brother. Mayna loves to dream and hopes to keep her love for colour, clips and clothes alive but at the age of just ten she has learnt that she shouldn’t pin any hopes to them. She feels she would never get the right platform and would be dismissed on the basis of her appearance. Perhaps someone can prove her wrong...
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