Roshy Chhillar was notably absent, yet present, at a press event for Landmark Group’s new luxury homes. The 29-year-old stood out as the only woman among older men. Landmark Skyvue, a Rs 400 crore project, reflected her vision, like the large wellness area.
No one asked her questions.
All eyes turned to her father, founder Sandeep Chhillar, and the head of sales.
She was distinct, but overlooked. This is common in real estate, a male-dominated field slowly adding women. The 1998 National Housing policy legitimized the sector. Yet, it kept its “dirty business” image. Unofficial money flowed. Shady deals happened.
This made people think it was unsafe for women. They felt women couldn’t work there, especially on construction sites. Now, younger women leaders are emerging. Tradition has helped this shift.
Real estate is often family-run. Big names promote their family history. Second-generation leaders are now in the spotlight. Many of them are women. However, outside of family businesses, the numbers are low. A study showed women make up only 10% of the real estate workforce. It’s one of the “least inclusive sectors.”
Roshy Chhillar noted that women face more challenges in India. The doors are slowly opening. She said, “There are advantages I have. Cities also view women differently.” She added, “People naturally think women cannot be developers.”
She studied economics at NYU. Then she earned a master’s in real estate at Cornell. She worked for a year at Savills, a brokerage firm. She decided her family’s business was the “right fit.”
At the Landmark launch event, a reporter asked about a listicle she was in. It featured young real estate leaders. She liked it. But she pointed out, “There are only two women.”
Meghna Gummi, CEO of ARK Group, said, “The path was set for me. I chose it. It was overwhelming at first. Earning respect took time. Men didn’t know how to react. They were learning too.”
Sources say women mostly work in sales, client roles, and design. They are often not involved in planning new developments.
Chhillar is set to lead Landmark. The company began as an IT firm. She aims to create women-focused spaces. This is especially true for commercial properties.
She stated, “We are more open now. Even in real estate, people see the benefit of including women. It creates a better product.” She wants to build communities that are “gender-fluid.”
Currently, she is involved in all aspects. This includes managing projects, sales, and strategy. Skyvue is her main focus. The apartments are designed to be different from today’s Gurugram. There will be no traffic issues.