By Chandran Iyer
In the ever-evolving world of real estate, two exceptional individuals have emerged as the trailblazers of affordable luxury residential townships in Western India. With an unwavering commitment to quality, innovation, and transparent transactions, Mr. Arshad Usmani and Mr. Sanjay Bhargava, the dynamic founders of Anantham Epic Homes LLP (AEHL), have been reshaping the housing market and redefining the concept of luxury living.
AEHL is an emerging developer with a primary focus on Western India, dedicated to providing top-notch residential townships that combine affordability with the highest quality, layout, and amenities. The company boasts a wealth of experience in land acquisition, project execution, and groundbreaking concepts like Society Redevelopment in Mumbai.
Mr. Arshad Usmani, with an impressive 27-year career in real estate, is renowned for his expertise in land and project acquisition, implementation, and execution. Having lent his skills to prestigious names such as Tata Housing Ltd, Kalpatru Homes Ltd, Lokhandwala Constructions, and BBTC Ltd (Wadia Group), Arshad’s visionary approach has resulted in over 20 medium and large-scale projects across India.
Arshad’s legacy includes pioneering the concept of Co-op. Housing Society’s Re-Development in Mumbai, resulting in two out of the first three AAA+ rating Residential Projects in India, certified by CIDC-CQRA, with a combined area of approximately 2 million square feet. His visionary contributions are monumental, to say the least.
In the formidable partnership behind AEHL stands Mr. Sanjay Bhargava, a versatile leader with over 30 years of experience spanning private equity, chemicals, industrials, and real estate sectors. He was earlier the Managing Director at Samara Capital.
Sanjay’s extensive expertise extends to managing industrial gases, catalysts, and specialty chemical businesses, honed during his tenure with Inox Air Products and Parekh Platinum. With a foundation as a Chemical Engineer from IIT Kanpur, coupled with a DBF from ICFAI, He brings a wealth of knowledge to the table.
Together, Arshad and Sanjay have orchestrated a housing revolution through AEHL, an emerging developer committed to crafting affordable yet premium residential townships in Western India. Their aim is simple yet profound: to provide “Epic” homes that redefine the concept of luxury living by offering the best in quality, layout, and amenities.
AEHL aspires to deliver these luxurious lifestyle homes at prices that are accessible to the middle class, all while ensuring timely delivery and equitable transactions. Their dynamic team, comprising leading architects, town planners, structural and MEP consultants, and landscaping architects, works hand in hand with a Project Management Consultancy to create innovative and contemporary residential complexes. Their motto is clear: trustworthy and timely delivery, exceptional living conditions, competitive prices, and substantial appreciation potential.
Arshad and Sanjay are more than just founders of AEHL; they are visionaries pioneering a new era in real estate development, where luxury and affordability coexist, and dreams turn into reality. Their journey is one of dedication, innovation, and a commitment to delivering the best in class, and it’s a story worth celebrating.
Interestingly, Arshad is an “accidental entrepreneur” who ventured into real estate after being captivated by the Mumbai high-rise buildings’ beauty during a visit to the city in 1991. His journey from joining a bank as a probationary officer to becoming a prominent figure in real estate is a testament to his dedication and passion.
Arshad’s journey in the real estate industry began with a different career path in mind – he was considering a job in banking. However, during his stay in Mumbai, he had the chance to explore the city and its high-rise buildings, which captivated him with their mesmerizing beauty.
One day, he had a conversation with his mentor, Mr. Zafar Iqbal, about Mumbai’s real estate sector, its growth, potential, and career prospects. During this discussion, Mr. Iqbal offered Arshad a job in his company Ashishwang Property Developers Pvt Ltd and advised him to consider leaving behind the idea of a bank job.
Arshad made the pivotal decision to enter the real estate industry and joined Mr. Iqbal’s company. He expressed gratitude to Mr. Iqbal for his guidance and mentorship. Arshad worked at Ashishwang Property Developers Pvt Ltd for approximately a year before taking on a new role at TATA Housing Development Co. Ltd in the Business Development Department, where he focused on Land and Project Acquisition. His career continued to advance, and he eventually became the Regional Head, covering areas like Mumbai, Thane, Goa, Cochin, and Bangalore.
Arshad went on to work for various other real estate companies, including Lokhandwala Construction Industries Pvt. Ltd, Kalpatru Homes Ltd, and BBTC Ltd, taking on roles related to Land and Project Acquisition and Implementation. Throughout his career, he acquired and implemented more than 30 projects of various natures across India.
In 2014-15, he took a significant step by starting his own real estate company. From that point onwards, there was no looking back for Arshad and his career in the real estate industry continued to flourish.
According to Arshad “The underlying factor of success in real estate across all the segments is that there is ever growing sustainable housing shortage in India. Therefore, factors that contribute to success inter alia are an in-depth study of the real estate market, an understanding of real changing scenarios, market segmentation and a knack of creating sustainable products as per segmentation, learning buyer insight, and knowledge of acquiring the right lands/project acquisition and timely implantation thereof. The company’s focus is institutional customers with group housing requirements. These include defense forces, PSU, and Government undertakings and corporates.
Talking about the challenges in the projects, Arshad says “ No project is of same nature; therefore, Project acquisition and implementation is not an easy task. Every project carries a challenge of a different nature. Therefore, difficult to quantify and name any particular project as a challenging one. Some of the main reasons for the challenges are the acute shortage of developable clear title land and regulatory issues. Because of the shortage of land, land cost is too high therefore, landowners’ expectations for sale or JV/JD are very high, in this case, your negotiation skills and or the related experience play a vital role. Secondly, the regulatory issues, unless, you yourself do not know all the related Land laws, DDCR, and other related norms and laws, it becomes a challenging task to obtain approval on time, though you have to appoint the Lisoning Architects/agencies. Therefore, every project, as far as I am concerned had its challenges.
The co-founder of AEHL, Sanjay also has an illustrious career spanning over 30 years across various sectors, including private equity, chemicals, industrials, and real estate. His contributions to Samara Capital and other prominent companies have honed his skills and knowledge in diverse areas.
According to the two founders at Anantham, their endeavor and aspiration are to provide lifestyle luxury homes at affordable prices to the middle class coupled with timely delivery and transparent transactions. The company uses leading architects, town planners, structural & MEP consultants, and landscaping architects to design and build innovative and contemporary residential complexes.
AEHL’s focus is on institutional customers with group housing requirements, including defense forces, PSU & government undertakings, and corporates.
Real estate is a complex field with the involvement of multiple agencies and regulatory bodies with requisite approvals. According to the founders, their motto is to keep their transactions simple, tech-enabled, and customer-friendly.
The Indian real estate sector is undergoing significant transformation, poised for exponential growth but riddled with complex challenges. Its current contribution to the GDP stands at 6-8%, and projections indicate it may double to 13% by 2025. Moreover, the market size is predicted to skyrocket from USD 200 billion in 2021 to a staggering USD 1 trillion by 2030. However, this promising growth is marred by several formidable obstacles, including regulatory hurdles, funding and capital constraints, lack of transparency, infrastructure deficit, changing consumer preferences, and land acquisition challenges.
According to Arshad, the underlying factor of success in real estate across all segments is the ever-growing sustainable housing shortage in India. Therefore, factors that contribute to success include an in-depth study of the real estate market, understanding changing scenarios, market segmentation, and acquiring the right lands/projects at the right price.
Arshad acknowledges the challenges in project acquisition and implementation, which vary with each project due to factors like the acute shortage of developable clear title land and regulatory issues. Negotiation skills and knowledge of related land laws and norms play a vital role in overcoming these challenges.
His advice to aspiring real estate developers is to focus on the long term, continuously upgrade knowledge, and learn to acquire projects/lands at the right price for a lower break-even point.
Regarding the goals and aspirations for AEHL, Arshad states, “To be a prominent developer in Sustainable and Quality Affordable Housing Segment in the next 5 to 10 years.”
Sanjay says “The key to success in real estate is a product design consistent with the location and its development potential, as well as the public/social infrastructure. Target customer segments are identified based on this assessment, and the project specifications are delineated to provide an ‘Epic’ product at affordable prices.”
Anantham Epic Homes LLP prioritizes transparency and timely delivery, sharing all requisite details with customers on the company and RERA websites. Periodic progress updates and site photographs are sent to customers, ensuring a transparent and customer-friendly approach.
Sanjay says “Our company has collaborated with leading automation companies to provide advanced automation, enabling customers to customize their interiors with ease.”
He says “Our strategy for customer acquisition aims to secure anchor customers for a project, providing a critical boost to project execution. AEHL values all customers equally and aims to cater to their diverse needs.
To succeed in the real estate business, what is needed is deep knowledge and the ability to give a good product at a good price.. “Having worked in different industry sectors, I can bring the best practice to our company’, added Sanjay.
Discussing the location of ‘RAINBOW COUNTY’ in Panvel and its potential for future appreciation, Sanjay emphasizes the importance of selecting locations with good access, adequate transportation, and social infrastructure. The project is expected to create substantial employment and commerce, setting a benchmark for future projects and leading to price appreciation for existing customers.
In conclusion, the story of Anantham Epic Homes LLP is a testament to the potential for innovation and transformation within Indian real estate. With a combined wealth of experience, Arshad and Sanjay have not only pioneered groundbreaking concepts like Society Redevelopment but have also navigated the complex challenges of the real estate industry, from land acquisition to project execution.
As the Indian real estate sector undergoes significant growth and transformation, Anantham Epic Homes LLP stands out as a beacon of hope, aiming to bridge the gap between luxury and affordability. With a focus on innovation, sustainability, and customer-centricity, the company is poised to leave a lasting impact on the real estate landscape in India. Arshad and Sanjay’s dedication to their vision, their commitment to excellence, and their unwavering focus on delivering value to their customers make Anantham Epic Homes LLP a promising force in the Indian real estate market, one that holds the promise of creating homes where dreams can truly turn into reality.