'I'm in no hurry to make all the buildings in India'

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: the real estate business today. From a small construction company to a big real estate group has been an interesting journey and Manish has enjoyed it to the hilt. They were guided by their vision. “Between my father and I, the aim was never really to make it to such and such position. We just want to do a good quality job and other things come along. I’m in no hurry to make all the buildings in this country. If my customer is satisfied, I’m satisfied; I can sleep well. My father is 65 and he sleeps well, too.”

The latest goodie in the Uppal bag is their tie up with Marriott International, a worldwide hotel management and franchising company, to manage and operate their forthcoming 5-Star JW Marriott Hotel in Gurgaon on the outskirts of Delhi. Spread over an area of 12.5 acres, the property envisages an investment of around Rs 325 crore. This is Uppal’s second project with Marriott international. The first one, a 5-Star deluxe property, is coming up in Chandigarh. Of course, these two projects are not all that keep Manish busy. Currently, more than 55 million sq ft of space is under development, which includes high-end, premium residential complexes, commercial plazas, luxurious hotels and state-of-the-art IT and IT-enabled facilities and SEZs. The SEZ projects in Gurgaon and Noida are what excite Manish the most right now. “It’s a new animal. Nobody knows how it will behave. So, there are quite a few challenges,” he smiles.

Learning is something that Manish is very keen about. “When I hand over a project I tell the client not to get surprised if a tap leaks. There would be problems, no matter how hard we try. But what I want to ensure is that I learn from my mistakes. Mistakes, I thinks are more important than anything else. I don’t like shying away from my mistakes. I love to understand my mistakes and learn from them.”

Work is what keeps Manish busy most of the time. If there is anything that he enjoys more, it’s working out and his lithe form speaks as much. “When you are in a good shape, it helps. It clears my head. It keeps me fit. Also, I think it’s important for everyone to do something that is not routine because that one hour gives you a break from your regular work.”