Vinay Phadnis Chief managing director, Sahil Group of Industries

In college, he was a boxer. In life, he has proved a fighter. Vinay Phadnis, chief managing director of the Pune-based Sahil Group of Industries, started his career with limited resources and vaulting ambition. He has proved that it can be done.

Phadnis was born and brought up in a typical Maharashtrian upper middle-class family. He did his schooling from Vidyadham, Shirur and went on to complete his bachelors in law from Abasaheb Garware College, Pune. As a student he was very much into sports; boxing and athletics appealed to him the most. He even represented Maharashtra in both at the 1984 National Games.

After completing his graduation, Phadnis took up a job in marketing with DSK Developers. He was with them for 15 years, rising to the post of executive director and learning all the tricks of the trade. “After a successful stint at DSK, I realised that I still had to fulfil my aspiration of being an industrialist,” he says. “This made me quit my job and set up the Sahil Group.”

But Phadnis remembers the happy times at DSK. It was under his guidance and hands-on involvement that the company completed a large number of prestigious projects like the DSK Vishwa. Vishwa got into the Guinness Book of World Records for selling 1,000 flats in eight days.

“I played a critical role in the growth of DSK. I handled every single business function, be it finance, marketing, procurement, project management and liaison. This hands-on experience made me confident enough to start my business in real estate,” he says.

It’s not just common-or-garden real estate. “Sahil started Sahil Spa and Resorts in Lonavla,” says the company website. “In less than one year’s time it achieved a tie-up with Sarovar Portico. And the massive Spa Village in Alibaug is now part of the international Carlson Hotels.”

Sahil has also stepped into the dream houses segment. It already has a large number of projects in the pipeline. A new venture is in the IT sector with Sahil infoSystem.

Phadnis firmly believes that karma is God. For him every assignment is an opportunity to excel. “Every assignment is a new learning experience for me. I often break all my business-related tasks into assignments and that challenges me as well as makes it easier for me,” he says.

He claims that 15 years in the real estate business has taught him to think positively and believe in the potential of this industry. “I think of myself as someone who wants to fulfil the dreams of others and I believe in giving my best for my customers. In real estate, experience always matters,” he says.

Speaking about the real estate boom, he says that the future for real estate in India is huge. “We are just probing the potential that this sector holds. I have had a very rewarding career as a real estate executive and now as a real estate entrepreneur.”

However, he adds that aspirants must understand that real estate is not only about constructing buildings and malls but also about building trust amongst customers and trying to deliver one’s best to society in a creative manner.

It is interesting to note that this man from a real estate background has managed to carve a niche in two other budding industries — hospitality (resorts and spas) and the IT industry. So how does he manage all three different sectors? “When I have any vision, I just go out and find people who can execute my vision to perfection. The three different business ventures have three different CEOs who manage efficiently,” he says.

Phadnis decided to get into resorts and spas when he realised that the stressed-out generation was looking for comfort and relaxation. The IT boom made him try his luck in the IT sector. “The emergence of Pune as a top IT destination led to a boom in the real estate business. Around this IT boom, a lot of development has taken place in and around Pune and we decided to move into this business. Luckily I managed to carve out a niche here too,” he says.

What of the future? Sahil has big plans, says Phadnis. “The group is planning to flag off four new properties in the next two-three years. An initial public offer is on the cards in late 2008.”

There will be more. The company and Phadnis believe that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Of a thousand smiles, with a touching deed. And of a thousand waves, with a single shore”. The journey has just begun.

Based on a conversation with Shabina Akhtar in Calcutta