Architecture and planning domains in India unlike the Real estate industry, have had a fair share of women who have made their mark in both the private and government sectors. There are a few women architects and planners who have successfully made their presence in the Real estate sector too. One such dynamic persona is Chitra Sundararajan Jain, who is an architect-planner by profession and brings to the table three decades of experience working for various elite firms such as DLF, Tata Consultancy Engineers, and RSP, Singapore.

Taking a plunge into entrepreneurship, Chitra teamed up with her husband to collaboratively lay the foundation of Samyak Properties and Infrastructure in 2010. They are currently working on affordable housing projects in Sonipat and other areas in the NCR. She has been a visiting faculty with the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), Delhi for almost 20 years and is currently also a research scholar.

Engaging in an idiosyncratic interaction with Women Entrepreneur magazine, Chitra shares some vignettes of her journey in the realms of architecture, planning, and real estate. Let’s hear it from her.

What are some of the key areas of specializa­tion at Samyak Properties and Infrastructure?

Samyak is a professional venture to fill a gap in compliant, well-designed, and well-executed boutique projects while giving personalized services to its clients. We cater to mid-range developments under the Deen Dayal Jan Awasyojana scheme in Haryana as well as developing projects in Delhi’s low-density residential areas (LDRA) and land investments in land pooling zones.

How do you look at your journey from architecture and planning to real estate?

I think being an architect-planner, before foraying into entrepreneurship in the real estate sector, has been advantageous for me as I can work in scales ranging from individual buildings to master plans at the city level with ease. Another advantage is to be able to gauge the pulse of the city and its growth potential and position our projects accordingly keeping critical issues like sustainability and climate responsiveness in mind.

From pure architecture under the acclaimed artist and sculptor architect Satish Gujral, I moved to a Real estate giant like DLF, in 1992, where I learned how to position my design in response to marketing inputs. At Tata Consulting Engineers, Bangalore, as project architect for the first International JV IT Park project, it was a great opportunity to work with international architects and consultants. From here I moved to turnkey projects and consultancy in Delhi before venturing into the Real estate industry. So I had the advantage of hands-on experience on scales from residential interiors to large-scale mixed-use developments.

I strongly believed that good designs alone do not create a good project. Construction quality is equally important and with this belief, I also worked as Regional Manager, in Delhi, for ICMQ, an Italian construction quality auditing company.

“We offer services in affordable housing, mixed-use retail, logistics, & land sourcing & development for our clients which are environment-friendly, energy efficient, & climate responsive”

What are some of the milestones you have achieved throughout your professional journey? What has been your success mantra?

One of the most important milestones was the designing of the Corporate Park while working for DLF as it was the first of its kind state–of–the–art fully structural glazed commercial development project in India. Though I was only associated with IT Park, Whitefield, for two years, it will always be a highlight in my professional journey. The National Product Display Centre, NSIC, Delhi, was another unique project which I won through a limited entry competition, where I designed display areas and systems for products and handicrafts from all over India for international buyers to view. Another major milestone was when we delivered Saffron Estate, our first housing project, launched by Samyak in Sonipat.

Well, I think I define success not by the number of projects but by the creativity that goes into the projects to bring them to fruition. My obsession with detailing and building trust has been my success mantra!

How do you foresee urban planning evolving in India in the years to come?

With growing urbanization, urban planning is extremely critical and we need more planners working to guide the growth of our cities. Post Covid there has been a shift in the way we live and work and so homes, workplaces, mobility, and infrastructure have seen a change. We are talking of walkable cities, with a focus on more green, better public transport, and better waste management. Circular economies, circular cities focusing on the conscious use of natural resources, and equitable access to infrastructure will definitely be important. AI and digital tech are going to be playing a bigger role in managing cities.

With growing concerns about climate change and environmental degradation, there is a greater focus on sustainable urban development in India which includes initiatives such as green buildings, renewable energy, and waste management.

There is a growing recognition of the importance of involving citizens in urban planning and decision making and many cities in India are using participatory approaches to involve citizens in the planning process and ensure that their needs and preferences are taken into account.

What advice would you like to give to budding entrepreneurs and leaders in the fields of Architecture, Planning, and Real estate?

Today there are endless opportunities in all these three fields and my advice would be to choose the level at which one wants to work, be it product design development to consultancy to real estate development. I would say - Look within, reflect upon what they are passionate about, and work towards it.

Chitra Sundararajan Jain, Director, Samyak Properties & Infrastructure

Chitra Sundararajan Jain acquired her bachelor’s degree in architecture from UVCE, Bengaluru and Masters degree in Planning, with specialisation in Housing from the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi in 1991. She started her own firm in New Delhi after working for some prestigious firms and executing some of the biggest projects. She has successfully implemented projects for reputable organizations such as DLF, and Tata Consultancy Engineers, among others.

Business leaders you admire - Ratan Tata, K.P. Singh, and Dr. Niranjan Hiranandani