Maasters Infra is a Visionary Player in India’s Real Estate Sector

How did you begin your journey in the real estate sector?

I entered the real estate sector in 1999 with the blessings and guidance of my father. He had been in the construction industry since 1983 and had executed several government projects. I found the real estate industry ‘constructive’ and was attracted to it. I started out with small projects. In 2003, we ventured into land acquisition. Going into development was a natural progression and now we are doing our own projects.

What is your leadership mantra and what work philosophy do you implement at Maasters Infra?

Shri Guru Granth Sahib ji has had a deep influence on me and we try to implement its teachings in our business. I also try to apply what I have learnt from my elders and mentors. The name of our company, Maasters, pays homage to our holy gurus, teachers, parents and leaders, even as it beautifully encapsulates the word ‘Maa’ or ‘Mother’ within itself. There are many business leaders I admire like Warren Buffet, Jack Ma and Ratan Tata. At Maasters Infra we do not have a boss culture. We work together as a team for the growth and success of the group.

What are your strengths as an entrepreneur?

I see my entire life as a ceaseless journey of learning. As for strengths, I pride myself on my patience—I always hear people out. I want everyone to grow and the team to prosper with the company. At Maasters Infra we foster a sense of community. As our Honourable PM Shri Narendra Modi says, “Sabka saath, sabka vikas.” For me it’s all about the power of teamwork. Through collaboration we can capitalise on everyone’s strengths and create new synergies.

There has been a lot of traction in the real estate sector of late, especially at the higher end of the market. According to you, what is the potential of the sector?

The pandemic has brought about a sea change in the perception of people, especially property buyers. There is an aspiration for larger spaces. Owners of two-bedroom apartments are vying for three-bedroom apartments; three-bedroom owners want something bigger like a villa; the villa owner wants a second home or a farmhouse, and so on.

Similar to revenge travel, the real estate market is seeing a lot of traction, because consumers have realised the importance of living a quality life rather than just saving for the future. Everyone wants to improve their living standard and enhance their homes. This has led to a huge demand for upmarket projects. Upgrade is the name of the game. As a result, we are going to see a lot of activity and growth in the real estate sector in the coming years.

How important is work-life balance for you as a business leader?

For a business leader, work-life balance can be tough to juggle sometimes. I could not have done it without the support of my family. I do not really draw a hard line between work and life for the simple reason that I consider my team to also be my family and my workplace a second home. Short vacation breaks and occasionally going out for meals are lifesavers in our busy schedules. We also do a lot of get-togethers at the workplace and I always encourage my family to join in.

What major projects are you working on currently?

In the past we were into buying and selling of land parcels in places like Amritsar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana. Now we are developing our own projects. These include IT parks, a housing project and an industrial township. With the infrastructure of India developing rapidly, we are also coming up with several infrastructure projects.

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