Real Estate Panel: "Urbanisation in India - The Changing Equation"


N Hiranandani
Chairman and Managing Director - Hiranandani Developers

Niranjan Hiranandani began his initial business by venturing into textiles with a weaving unit at Charkop in Kandivali in 1981. His first spark of recognition in the construction line came with their work in Versova, Andheri in the mid-eighties. Since then, the Hiranandani Group has come a long way to be recognised countrywide for their modern and state-of-the-art mix-user township projects in Powai and Thane, both of which have become preferred residential-commercial locations in and around Mumbai. They call him builder extraordinaire and the man responsible for changing the Mumbai skyline.

Hiranandani is actively associated with and holds key positions in various Government bodies, private and social institutions, schools, and colleges. Continuing to serve the society in the best possible manner, the Group has forayed into the Healthcare sector with the 137 bedded Dr LH Hiranandani Multi Specialty Hospital at Powai and Thane, Mumbai. He calls it his “building of passion”.

The Hiranandani Group has gone international with 23 Marina – a 380m high 90 storied neo-lifestyle residential tower coming up in the upscale Marina region of Dubai. Due for completion in 2008, 23 Marina is tipped to be the world’s tallest residential tower.


Karuna Gopal
Director, and India Head - Confluence Consulting, Futurecities.org

Karuna Gopal is the President of Foundation for Futuristic Cities. FFC is into Urban Advisory Services in the areas of City Visioning, City Branding Institutional Reforms, E- Governance implementation, Stakeholder alignment and Strategic Communication for driving the reform agenda.

Prior to urban foray, she was the Founder President of Confluence Consulting , a Strategy Consulting firm with a portfolio of clients ranging from Multinationals to homegrown Indian firms cutting across IT , Telecom , Manufacturing , Biotech/ Informatics, Pharma and Knowledge sectors.

Gopal served on the Public Policy panel of CII and Hyderabad Management Association. Lectures at MDPs targeted at Policy Makers, Corporate Leaders at Indian Institute of Management (IIM - A), Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) and Centre for Good Governance (CGG). She was a Faculty / Mentor for WBI (World Bank Institute)/ ASCI Urban Management Certification Programme. She has also addressed many a seminar organised by GOI, CII and FICCI.

Believing that instruments aimed at cosmetic changes rarely rectify the systemic problems of Indian Cities and questioning the very paradigm on which they rely, her organisation is developing Knowledge Products and a Knowledge Management Framework for accelerating Urban Transformation.


Ram Chandnani
Deputy Managing Director, South India - CB Richard Ellis

Ram Chandnani is the Deputy Managing Director, South India for CB Richard Ellis in India. Based out of Bangalore, he heads the firm’s operations across the key cities of Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad.

Chandnani’s specialised field of competence spreads across the transaction domain of office, retail, industrial and land services. Ram has managed varied assignments including: leasing and built-to-suit requirement for office, retail, IT / ITES and campus developments; acquisition and disposition of land and built up assets; management contracts for hospitality assets, investment transactions like: joint ventures and structured sales etc.

As a regional head, he is involved in the firm’s activities across lines of business including Strategic Consulting and Valuation, Project Management & Facilities Management. Chandnani joined CB Richard Ellis in 1997, and has over 13 years of experience in the field of real estate consulting.


Prasad R Koneru
Managing Director, Rakindo Developers Pvt Ltd.

Prasad R Koneru has over 30 years of diverse experience in different industries, including mining, international trading, investment, construction, real estate, shipping and logistics.

A first generation entrepreneur, he is the Founder Chairman of Trimex Group, which has grown into a transnational mineral conglomerate, headquartered out of Dubai. Trimex Group also has a Joint Venture company, RAK Minerals & Metals, with RAK Investment Authority (RAKIA), the global investment arm of Govt of Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, involved in mining and processing of copper, gold and coal in the Far East, Africa, Middle East and CIS Countries.

In addition to his group’s responsibilities, Koneru, as Director in RAK Investment Authority, performs the role of a business ambassador in promoting trade and investment between UAE and India.

Over the years, Koneru has been decorated with several awards and citations. He is an avid golfer and a philanthropist supporting free health clinics and schools through the Koneru Prasad Foundation.