How Janapriya Built 40,000 Homes: Ravinder Reddy Reveals the 40-Year Success Story

Janapriya Engineers founder K. Ravinder Reddy said that the Housing Board was the main inspiration for their focus on affordable housing. On the occasion of Janapriya Engineers Syndicate completing 40 years in Hyderabad’s real estate sector, a special event was organised. As it coincided with Ravinder Reddy’s 72nd birthday, the celebrations were held on a grand scale. Speaking on the occasion, he explained his journey in detail. Here is the summary in Ravinder Reddy’s own words:

“Many people celebrate their birthday or Shashti Poorthi when they turn 60. Even my family members asked me about it when I reached that age. But I asked them—why should I spend money and invite everyone just to announce that I’ve grown old? I said I would one day celebrate my birthday in a grand manner, in a way that shows I am not old. People may think differently, but I myself will never consider that I have grown old until my last breath.”

“Then why celebrate my birthday at 72 years? There is a personal reason behind it.”

The uniqueness of the number nine…

“I was born in 1953. If you add all the digits together, it comes to 9. Now, my age 72 also calculates to 9 (7 + 2 = 9). The current year, 2025, also calculates to 9 (2 + 0 + 2 + 5 = 9). When I started the Engineers Syndicate, that year too added up to 9 + 9 = 18, which again counts to 9. Even the name Janapriya Engineers Syndicate has a connection with 9.

There’s another special aspect related to 9. My wife has been associated with me for 45 years. Today marks 45 years since our marriage as well, which again reduces to 9. That is why I felt I should celebrate my birthday grandly when I turned 72.

When I started this construction industry 40 years ago, many people entered the business. Today, only about 10% of them have survived. Over decades, only a few companies continue to exist, and I feel proud that our company is among them.

Many others are focusing on luxury housing, good commercial or land business. But people often asked me what inspired me to start affordable housing. My inspiration came from the Housing Board, followed by HUDA, and also HDFC. These three played a role in motivating me to enter the affordable housing sector.”

What happened in 1980?
In 1980, when the Housing Board announced that they were going to build 2,000 apartments, nearly 200,000 applications were received. Later, the Housing Board selected 2,000 names through a lottery held six months to a year later. Among those selected, one of my relatives also got chosen. Everyone was overjoyed, thinking they were getting a house for free. In reality, they were paying for their homes, yet they felt as if it was free. Reflecting on this, I realised that if salaried-class people could be provided homes, there would be tremendous demand for apartments and houses.

Back then, the land required to start a business was available in Hyderabad. Raw materials like cement and steel were accessible, and there were enough masons and engineers to do the work. However, to sell houses, we needed customers. If people trusted us, they would wait in line. So, where was the problem? In those days, getting a home loan was difficult. It was especially challenging for salaried employees. Even though HDFC was ready to provide loans, it wasn’t feasible because the interest rates were 14%, while salaries were only Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000.

This prompted me to work out a solution. I realised I could build homes within their budget, but every penny had to be received in white (official payment). At that time, builders only collected about 40% officially, so I decided to take two bold steps:

I said, “Getting your loan is my responsibility.” The second responsibility: Every penny must be officially accounted for (white). Back then, announcements were on the front page… In those days, we placed full-rate advertisements for plot sales on the first page of newspapers. Many people thought this was risky and were afraid, but I went ahead boldly. Those two courageous steps I took back then are what helped establish the company at its current level.

In this way, my business was inspired by the Housing Board, supported by HDFC, guided by white money practices, and also aided by HUDA. At that time, HUDA sold plots in Saroornagar through an auction. I, along with CSR Shekhar, purchased a plot, and several other builders also bought plots. Buying at the very beginning gave us good plots, and having title deeds from the government gave us further confidence.

The third support was HDFC providing loans. We started the project in 1985 and successfully completed it in 1988. Even as a builder with no prior experience, we were able to complete the venture without any obstacles.

The challenge in affordable homes..
Another challenge I faced in affordable housing was that many people were unable to afford Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 70,000. I realised that if I provided only a small flat, it would not offer them adequate living space. Here, I used my engineering skills, with help from a friend, to design a solution. We planned two-bedroom flats in 600 to 700 sq. ft., because at that time, size was less important than functionality. The focus was on providing two-bedroom accommodation, so people could get the facilities they needed within their budget.

Planning, executing, and delivering functional housing in a small space at an affordable cost became my secret to success. But it also had to appeal easily to the public. For this, I created some punchlines and slogans. “Why rent when you can own… Janapriya is there” – many people knew this. Back then, thousands of autos carried this slogan on their backs. I was the first person to promote it this way.

Similarly, in English, we used the slogan: “Give Up Rent House… Pick Up Own House”, and we also promoted it in Karnataka. These punchlines quickly lodged my company in the minds of salaried people, making our affordable housing widely recognized.

Popularity in just five years…

My company gained immense popularity in its first five years. Otherwise, I would have had to wait 20 years to achieve the same level of recognition — but I did it in just five. If a company doesn’t have certain principles and core values, it’s difficult to sustain for many years. I always believed in matching the right person with an affordable home.

Many people asked me, “When you’re selling at such low rates, how much margin do you actually make?” Here, high turnover and low margin is the number one principle. While other builders were doing 100 flats, I was building 1,000 flats. My margin per unit was low, but the overall profit volume was much higher.

To provide maximum accommodation in smaller spaces, I bought large quantities of doors and windows, which allowed me to get bulk discounts. This, in turn, reduced my construction costs. Values like these helped our company achieve even greater success.

We have always tried to upgrade ourselves continuously. Our company was one of the first to adopt information technology services in marketing through digital marketing. Customer services via Salesforce, construction management software, and customer management through SAP—these are all recent developments. These software systems help establish us as a reliable and cost-effective home builder.

Almost 15 years ago, our company was also the first to introduce shear wall technology in Hyderabad housing projects. We were the first to use pre-cast technology in housing projects. We have a factory worth nearly Rs 20 crore, where we recast large walls.

40 years.. 40,000 apartments
Over the past 40 years, we have completed nearly 40,000 apartments. In the first year of Janapriya, many people worked as engineers, and I am very proud that many of them have now become builders themselves. Many of the homeowners entrusted everything to me and have since become builders. There are also many who started as contractors. Among them, nearly 150 builders were directly trained and developed by Janapriya.

Janapriya Upscale in luxury segment..
Now, regarding Janapriya Upscale… Four years ago, Kranthi proposed this name. I wanted to build not just affordable homes but also luxury residences. However, I wanted to retain the Janapriya legacy, so I agreed to keep the name Janapriya Upscale. When he asked if it would be acceptable, I immediately said it was excellent.

Janapriya has a 40-year legacy, and this Upscale brand would bring a significant distinction. It is going to be even more successful. Now, the company operates as Janapriya Upscale, with Kranthi as Managing Director, and Manish, Sharath, and Satish as the three pillars supporting him.

Even my two sons, who have pursued civil engineering, have joined this field. Yet, I feel there is some unfinished work left for me. That work, surprisingly, is related to my earlier flat buyers, which many might not have guessed.

Development in Hyderabad..
The flats I built 40 years ago have started “speaking” to me over the past two to three years. Once again, work is coming my way. Perhaps within six to seven months, we plan to demolish and rebuild nearly all of my ventures. This is something I can do, or my sons can. Out of the 40,000 apartments, there is confidence that at least 25,000 flats will be rebuilt. I consider myself, from a national perspective, as a patriotic builder and civil engineer. My affordable housing development plan continues to give me immense satisfaction, he concluded.