“Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.”
This quote by Louisa May Alcott sums up Snehal Mantri’s life so far. Born on 13th November 1963, to Mr Bankatlalji and Mrs Kamala Devi Gilada, Snehal grew up to be an intelligent, exuberant and ambitious young girl. Soon after finishing her graduation with a B.Sc. in Home Science from Hyderabad, Snehal met her soul mate in Sushil Mantri. Married in 1985, Mr Mantri, on his part was captivated by the drive and determination in his young wife to do something big and to achieve something more.
Mrs Mantri’s early years of marriage were spent in setting up a home and bringing up their young children. She also actively participated in the family business of Stock Market Trading. But it was in 1999, when they diversified into real estate and constructions that she found her true calling.
Life at Mantri
Starting with a capital of just Rs 35 lakh, Mantri Developers was then a brand new player in the market with several challenges to overcome. “I started by working with the team and slowly worked my way up,” she explains. To differentiate themselves from other players, Snehal was clear her agenda was much more than just building homes. It is indeed Snehal’s eye for detail that makes all Mantri homes child- friendly, nature friendly and above all customer- friendly.
Quiz her on how it feels being a woman in a sector dominated by men and you cannot miss the glint of pride in her eyes. “There is a lot of respect I get and I know I am in a unique position considering the real estate industry is still largely male dominated.” However she is quick to attribute her success to her husband who challenged and encouraged her to move on. She also says that family support has been a great source of strength in her journey.
And what is her mantra in life? “Keeping calm and thinking about what I want to do as well as staying focused and listening before judging is what I do,” she says. In fact she believes that she has been able to build the company on a strong sense of values. “Dreams are never sold on pressure, we need to make them come true. We never hard sell our properties,” she adds.
This probably also explains why their properties have an enviable 96 percent occupancy rate.
Achievements
It was under her able guidance that Mantri Developers grew six times in turnover, in just five years and became the first construction company to achieve an ISO 9001 certification. At the first ever CNBC Crisil Awaaz Real Estate Awards held this year, one of Mantri’s most prestigious projects ever – Mantri Altius — was adjudged the ‘Best Residential Property’ in India and Snehal Mantri also won Outstanding usinessman/Industrialist/Professional Award 2005 – JCI for her remarkable contribution.
Her penchant for green is obvious as she arranges tree plantation drives for children so that they understand the importance of nurturing their environment. This apart the upkeep of parks, a public – private partnership with the government to clean and maintain the lakes in Bangalore and modernisation of the Malleswaram police station are just few of the activities that she has spearheaded. As part of the CSR activities, the Panchayat schools in Kottenganhalli, near Bangalore, were upgraded to provide a more comfortable surrounding for little children to study in. However if you thought this woman was one to sit on her laurels, think again. She still believes that there is a lot more to do, because learning, like the quest for quality and excellence, never ceases.
