Designer

In a manner befitting the grandeur of a man who became the world's biggest real estate mogul in his lifetime, the launch of DLF Chairman and CEO K. P. Singh's autobiography, Whatever the Odds: The Incredible Story Behind DLF (HarperCollins India), was an affair to remember.

Buglers heralded the event from the ramparts of the brilliantly lit uber-chic mall DLF Emporio (a grand tribute to the former cavalry officer of the Indian Army). Giant screens came alive with GE's charismatic former boss Jack Welch speaking from his Florida home via satellite. A 25-minute film by Rang De Basanti director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra celebrating the legendary builder of Delhi. The presence of the city's creme de la creme. The national anthem sung by a Shillong choir to the accompaniment of a piano. These were the ingredients that made the evening a special treat.

Harper Collins India chairman Aroon Purie disclosed that the idea for the book came about during a casual dinner he had with Singh.



During the conversation, Singh narrated how he played a key role in getting Jack Welch, the then chairman of General Electric, to bring in one of largest foreign investments in India. Purie was convinced that Singh, who had battled the bureaucracy and the political system to script the DLF success story, had a "gripping" tale to tell.

The book chronicles the twists and turns in the life of a battlehardened army officer who through sheer grit and perseverance made it to the top of a fiercely competitive world. Welch said it was a wonderful read. "I enjoyed every page of it," he added. Coming from the author of best-selling management books, that was high praise.

Singh, as impeccably dressed turned out as ever, and speaking to an audience that included Union renewable energy minster Farooq Abdullah and Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, recalled the long hours he had spent in the mid-day sun convincing hundreds of farmers with minuscule and barren holdings in Gurgaon to sell their land in the interest of their economic well-being.

There was a poignant moment in his speech, which revealed his tender human side, when he talked about his life's turning point - the helicopter crash in which his wife was critically injured. He remembered how he dedicated his entire time and energy thereafter to nurse his partner of 50 years and literally brought her back to life. "The experience changed my life," Singh said.

It made him aware of the uncertainty of human existence and take a fresh look at the value of personal successes. "Have I adequately paid back society for the fame and fortune I have got? That was the question that came to my mind," Singh said. It was then that Singh decided that a portion of his wealth should be allocated for the healthcare and education of the poor and the underprivileged. And the DLF Foundation was born. It was a great moment for a great man.

Source: DLF Chairman K. P. Singh's autobiography launched in Delhi : North News - India Today

Hmmmm ... Diversifying his business in an hour of money crunch ...

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It is better to be blind than to see things from only one point of view

KumarofIndia

I have a philosophy that two wrongs don't make one right.
If somebody wants to cut corners and do things the wrong way, they are not our colleagues.
Starting from Delhi, where DLF developed the city’s major residential colonies, the company then shifted its focus to Gurgaon in the 1970s. DLF transformed the suburbs into a megacity of highrises, that now Gurgaon serves as a business destination for corporate India.
I wanted the size of the roads doubled in Gurgaon, but the policy makers opposed me.
Since politicians and bureaucracy have their own way of making laws. Lutyen's Delhi, Jaipur and Chandigarh all have wide roads, indicating the vision of the developers.Billionaire realtor Kushal Pal Singh almost sold his stake in DLF for a paltry Rs 26 lakh in 1975 due to red tape but decided to fight back to build one of India's most-valued real estate companies.