From Blueprint to Reality: A Conversation with Manjunath HR of Aakruthi Properties

An Exclusive Interview with Manjunath HR – Managing Partner at Aakruthi Properties, a real estate company

In this exclusive interview, Manjunath HR, Managing Partner at Aakruthi Properties, shares his journey in shaping one of the region’s leading real estate companies.

With a focus on quality, innovation, and integrity, he discusses the company’s vision, industry challenges, and the evolving landscape of modern property development.

What was the inspiration behind founding Aakruthi Properties, and how has your journey shaped the brand’s vision today?

Manjunath HR: Aakruthi Properties envisions an ideal world where happy people coexist harmoniously with nature.

In our endeavours, we strive to initiate projects that have long-lasting transformation and provide value more than just monetary gains. With this knowledge, we sought nature’s guidance, leading us to find ourselves.

Intending to pay homage to the concrete environment, we tend to build communities that go beyond rudimentary concepts and better day-to-day existence with holistic sustainability, without giving up modern amenities or location near the city. 

Of course, sustainability is a key plan, but green-friendly rules are only a piece of what drives us. To offer our customers both peace of mind and access to the city, we want to establish a solid footprint in the most elite neighbourhoods.

How do you see Aakruthi redefining homeownership through plotted developments, especially for the younger generation of buyers?

Manjunath HR: At Aakruthi, we see plotted developments as holistic entities more than pieces of land, especially for the young and aspiring first-time home buyers embodying their dreams, lifestyle, and aspirations for idealistic home creation with ownership to design, personalize and grow in the space of their own.

And what makes this really powerful is that all our plotted developments happen to be located in the most prime growth corridors. They would not just offer a sense of  ‘belonging’ today but hold huge appreciation potential tomorrow, making them an extremely ‘smart’ investment for the future.

Could you share a behind-the-scenes look at how you transform raw land into livable, sustainable communities?

Manjunath HR: Every Aakruthi community is preceded by a careful process that begins long before even a single stone is laid. We first try to understand the natural character of the land—its contours, soil, water flow, and greenery so that our planning can work with nature rather than against it.

From there, we build smart infrastructure such as underground sewage networks, sustainable waste management systems, and well-planned roadways that make daily life seamless. Sustainability is at the heart of our work.

We integrate rainwater harvesting, solar-powered lighting, plus abundant open green spaces with thousands of native trees. One proud example is a rejuvenated 2-acre lake at Aakruthi Natureville Beyond, to recharge underground water levels for years to come. It’s about turning raw land into sustainable, thriving neighbourhoods where families can truly belong.

What challenges have tested Aakruthi’s resilience in the real estate sector, and what lessons emerged from them?

Manjunath HR: The real estate industry in India is dynamic and often challenging due to evolving regulations, infrastructure delays, and shifting customer expectations.

At Aakruthi, we’ve faced three key challenges:

Land Legality, Regulatory Uncertainty & Approvals: The major causes of delay in projects are uncertainty in regulations, particularly relating to approvals and titles of land, as well as compliance with RERA.

We have, therefore, engaged the services of reputed legal houses such as Fox Mandal to carry out stringent scrutiny on the titles and ensure that there is adequate documentation and approvals in place for full compliance.

This taught us that due diligence and legal preparedness are non-negotiable foundations of responsible development. It reinforced the importance of building on a bedrock of compliance rather than chasing shortcuts.

Scarcity of Water & Environmental Impact: In its flagship project, Natureville, it encountered the challenge of potential water scarcity during phase 4 development- Natureville Beyond. They did not rest and wait for outside intervention but rather took it upon themselves to develop a 3.5-acre private lake that refills the local underground water table.

In its forthcoming projects, it is integrating green water systems such as rainwater harvesting, low-flow fixtures, and dry-landscaping, wherein plants do not require much watering. This experience proved that environmental challenges are opportunities to innovate.

By taking ownership of sustainability, we not only secure the future of our communities but also contribute to the larger ecosystem.

Trust Deficit & Market Scepticism: Customer trust is often low due to negative experiences with other developers. We address this through radical transparency, ethical business practices, and consistent communication.

Nearly 30% of our customers come through referrals—an outcome of the trust we’ve built over time. The key takeaway here is that trust compounds over time. By treating every customer with honesty, from the first conversation through post-registration support, we build advocates, not just buyers.

How does your team stay agile and informed in such a dynamic market — especially in terms of policy shifts, buyer expectations, and tech innovation?

Manjunath HR: At Aakruthi, we combine traditional wisdom with modern foresight. To stay ahead and agile:

Market Trends: We watch the trends, details of small markets, how buyers act, and any rule changes. To get more insight, we work with leading market study experts like CBRE and Colliers, who help us in changing the product mix, price, and plan for each project.

Strategic Partnerships: We work hand in hand with progressive architects, sustainability consultants, and legal experts, not only to ensure our projects are up to the mark but also to ensure that they meet the evolving needs of homebuyers.

Tech-Enabled Infra: Our latest villa townships feature smart home automation, IoT water monitoring, and solar-ready infrastructure.

Process Digitisation: We have digitised the entire customer journey for a seamless experience, from digital bookings to CRM-enabled customer service. Internally, we are leveraging project management tools to streamline execution, enhance teamwork and maintain transparency.

Community-Centric Innovation: Beyond building homes, we build vibrant communities with thoughtfully curated amenities for all age groups—promoting inclusivity, interaction, and enhanced quality of life.

Being future-ready means anticipating change, listening closely to our customers, and designing communities that will continue to thrive for decades to come.

Sustainability is becoming more than a buzzword — how is Aakruthi turning it into actionable design and planning choices?

Manjunath HR: Aakruthi views every project as an expression of our environmentally conscious design philosophy that nurtures well-being, belonging, and sustainable living. For example, Natureville, which covers over 50 acres, encompasses 800 plots and features an already thriving community.

Natureville is an example of successful community living as it integrates modern infrastructure with natural landscapes.

We created a private lake in the community that spans 3.5 acres and has a capacity of 13.5 crore litres. This private lake serves more than just an aesthetic purpose; it helps to rejuvenate the local water table and sustains a variety of flora and fauna.

With the four phases of the Natureville projects, we have constructed more than 1.6 million sq. ft., of which 870,000 sq. ft. has been set aside as open green parks.

Natureville has over 5,000 trees, 2–3 lakh shrubs and also features water-saving devices, low-flow fixtures, and sustainable water management techniques in both public and private areas to curb water usage.

Natureville also features integration of water bodies and landscaping, which has been shown to improve temperature regulation, humidity and mitigate urban heat islands.

Our projects also incorporate systems for segregated waste collection, composting, and recycling to promote environmentally friendly practices.

What do your customers value most about working with Aakruthi? Any stories that stand out?

Manjunath HR: One of the things our customers value most about Aakruthi is our transparency. There is nothing hidden; from the first conversation, everything has been clarified and sorted, no hidden charge or secret overpromising.

We are very vocal about our product because we believe in it, and this kind of honesty and confidence really resonates with the customers.

What also stands out is the kind of hand-holding that we give through the entire journey; be it ensuring the paperwork is done from a first site visit to registering it , relating to getting each thing sound and clear legally done.

We help with Khata transfer and various other forms, which is the main lacuna where most of the builders disappear after registration. What one hears on the product side is the uniqueness of our developments, the greenery, the open spaces, and the well-thought-out amenities.

Many buyers told us it was this blend of trust and support and quality living environment that made them feel at home with Aakruthi.

What’s on the horizon for Aakruthi in the coming years — new markets, new formats, or something else exciting?

Manjunath HR: For our next phase of growth, we are keen on East Bengaluru, which is undergoing notable infrastructural advancement. Moreover, it is quickly becoming one of the most attractive residential and investment corridors in the city.

Aakruthi has already made a strategic investment by purchasing and planning the development of key land parcels in this area. With our upcoming plotted and villa developments, we are located adjacent to major infrastructural projects like the STRR (Satellite Town Ring Road), the Bangalore–Chennai

Expressway, and the soon-to-be BBC Road (Peripheral Ring Road). These will provide superb connectivity and considerable long-term value for our buyers. In particular, we are looking to target KR Puram, Soukya Road, and Budigere Cross.

Our scaling strategy is focused on balancing the three core pillars of development: nature, lifestyle, and connectivity.

Well-planned communities designed to cater to the modern homebuyer’s needs while remaining faithful to the principles of sustainability and intelligent urban growth are our primary goal.

Manjunath HR’s insights reveal how Aakruthi Properties continues to thrive through customer trust, thoughtful planning, and sustainable practices.

His leadership vision underscores a commitment to redefining real estate excellence while creating lasting value for communities and investors alike.

Read more Success stories of Indian entrepreneurs, Women Entrepreneurs & startups stories at SugerMint. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn