GRI Funding Opportunities India returns for its 3rd Edition
Are you actively exploring capital structures, financing strategies, or investment opportunities in India's real estate market while trying to navigate regulatory complexity and shifting economic dynamics?
As India’s property sector continues to mature, stakeholders are seeking clarity on capital availability, risk management, and new investment pathways. This exclusive platform provides the ideal setting to discuss market challenges, funding trends, and strategies to drive long-term value in real estate financing.
GRI Funding Opportunities India 2026 brings together leading investors, asset managers, fund managers, banks, operators, and developers. The discussion-driven format encourages meaningful peer-to-peer engagement, helping you uncover new partnerships, optimize capital allocation, and stay ahead in a transforming financial landscape.
Format Closed-door discussions, keynote speakers, expert panels, industry peers exchanges, and strategic networking.
Audience Institutional Investors, Fund Managers, Asset Owners, LPs, Developers, Operators, Banks, and others active in the Indian Real estate.
Program
Opening Panel Discussion | 11:45 - 12:45
India Real Estate Capital 2026
Where Is the Money Flowing - and Where Is It Being Held Back?
Mobilizing private capital at scale
Funding structures for project vs. platform partners
Pricing discipline & exit-first development strategy
Capital Consolidation beyond Tier-1, and diversified assets
Moderator
Lata
Pillai
Senior Managing Director and Head of Capital Markets, India
JLL India
Amit
Bhagat
Co-founder, CEO & MD
ASK Property Fund
Sanjay
Dutt
MD & CEO
Tata Realty
Vinod
Rohira
MD & CEO
K Raheja Corp
Vipul
Roongta
MD & CEO
HDFC CAPITAL ADVISORS
Breakout Discussions | 13:45 - 14:45
Valuation Gap & Yield Reality
The Defining Challenge for Indian REITs
SEBI Equity Reclassification: Mutual Funds Inflows & Index Inclusion
SM-REIT Disruption: New Small & Medium REIT regulations creating a valuation benchmark for Tier-2 assets
Asset Quality vs. Pricing: Overpriced Grade-A Assets & Assessing the GCC Concentration Risk
Moderator
Shobhit
Agarwal
CEO
ANAROCK Capital
Gaurav
Puri
Chief Investment Officer
NCW Asset Management
Rahul
Parikh
Head Treasury
Embassy REIT
Rajeev
Thakkar
Chief Investment Officer & Director
PPFAS Mutual Fund
Ramesh
Nair
MD & CEO, Mindspace Business Parks REIT
Mindspace Business Parks REIT
Senthil
Kumar
Head of Investor Relations
Knowledge Realty Trust
Breakout Discussions | 13:45 - 14:45
Evolution of Real Estate Capital Structures
Platform Investments, JVs and Project-Level Funding
Evolution of capital structures over the last decade
Driving forces for investors toward platform deals vs. single-asset opportunities
Alignment of interests between sponsors and capital providers
Liquidity, exit optionality and portfolio construction
New structures emerging across residential, office, retail, logistics and data centres
Moderator
Nishant
Kabra
Managing Director – Capital Markets (India) JLL
JLL India
Alok
Jain
Managing Director
Blackstone
Ashish
Khandelia
Founder & CEO
Certus Capital
Nihar
Thanawala
CIO
TCG Real Estate
Shaifali
Singh
Managing Director & Chair - Residential
DivyaSree
Vineet
Krishnakumar Goyal
Joint Managing Director
Kohinoor Pune
Breakout Discussions | 15:15 - 16:15
Debt as a Differentiator
Winning Capital from Banks and NBFCs in a Selective Market
PSU Bank Resurgence vs. Private Bank vs. NBFC Agility
Mezzanine Structures for AIFs, Flight to Quality for Banks
Inventory Funding vs. Construction Finance vs. Land Funding Models
Exit Expectations, Perpetual Capital Advantage & Liquidity
Moderator
Anuj
Kapoor
Founder & MD
Upwisery
Aditya
Somani
Chairman
Somani Family Office
Amit
Upadhyay
Chief Investment Officer – Single Family Office
Meenakshi Alternates & Family Office
Ashish
Malpani
Director
Malpani Group
Chirag
Mehta
Founder
Arbour Investments
Kaling
Porwal
Managing Director
Downtown Lifespaces
Shridhar
Narayan
CEO - Hiranandani Group, Real Estate & Infrastructure Business
Hiranandani Group
Yash
Ravel
CEO & Managing Partner
Clarity Capital
Lata Pillai
Senior Managing Director and Head of Capital Markets, IndiaJLL India
India
Lata Pillai is Senior Managing Director and Head of Capital Markets, India, at JLL, based in Mumbai. Appointed in July 2021, she leads the India Capital Markets team, advising domestic and international clients on real estate investments and financing solutions. With over 30 years of extensive experience in banking and real estate, Pillai previously held senior leadership roles at ICICI Bank, where she built its real estate finance desk, and at Deutsche Bank, where she was Head of Commercial Real Estate. Her expertise also spans significant positions at Edelweiss Financial Services and Yes Bank, demonstrating a deep specialization in real estate and financial services.
Mr. Bhagat Co-founded the Real Estate Private Equity business of ASK Group in 2008. He has experience of more than a decade in the mortgage finance including as National Credit Head for the mortgage division of ICICI Bank. He was also the head of ICICI Property Services and has advised/syndicated over US $ 500 Mn of private equity investments. At ASK, he has raised and manages/advises an offshore and three domestic funds amounting to US $ 500 mn. He has invested in 25 projects in five cities and demonstrated complete exits from 11 projects. Mr. Bhagat is a Chartered accountant.
Sanjay is the MD & CEO of TRIL and Tata Housing with over 28 years of experience in the Real Estate Development and Consulting space. He is managing 20 ongoing projects across 13 cities in India, Sri Lanka & Maldives, incl. Commercial, Retail, Hospitality and Residential as well as infrastructure projects incl. 3 rope ways, 4 roadways & a Metro project in Pune.
Previously, he was CEO India Operations & Private Funds with The CapitaLand, a multinational Alternative Asset Management Company. Sanjay spent 23 years with top 3 global real estate consulting companies. He was MD South Asia at C&W (2001-2008 and 2012-2016), also CEO Business with JLL (2008 – 2012) and was one of the founder member of CBRE, India (1996-2001).
Equipped with an MBA from Booth School of Business, Chicago, and a law degree from the Mumbai University, Vinod began his career with the K. Raheja Corp, over two decades ago. A fine example of his work philosophy has resulted in building brand ‘Mindspace’ – with the idea of establishing world-class business districts; a concept which has completely revolutionized the Commercial Real Estate sector in India. Having led the development of Grade A commercial real estate across the country, and the listing of Mindspace Business Parks REIT on the Indian stock exchanges, his current focus is on driving the commercial business’ strategic operations with an emphasis on stakeholders’ management and business development.
Vipul is the Managing Director & CEO of HDFC Capital Advisors Ltd. HDFC Capital Advisors Ltd and currently manages the largest residential private equity fund in India with AUM in excess of USD 1 Bn.The fund is primarily focused on providing long term equity and mezzanine capital for development of affordable and middle-income housing in India.Vipul has cumulative experience of more than 19 years in the real estate sector across various disciplines like mortgages, developer funding and real estate equity and mezzanine investments.
Shobhit Agarwal, MD & CEO of ANAROCK Capital Advisors, is a visionary entrepreneur and one of the prominent faces in the Indian real estate market. With a profound experience of over 22 years in real estate investments, he has been instrumental in leveraging Indian RE to the global Capital Market platform. At ANAROCK Capital, he steers the strategic direction for RE Investment Banking Advisory through various investment verticals to serve the best interest of his clients. His in-depth knowledge coupled with his long-standing relationships with developers & capital providers has resulted in multi-billion dollar deals. In his past role, he had a successful 17-year stint at JLL India where he led the Capital Markets division with aplomb.
Gaurav has extensive experience across real asset classes & investment strategies on a pan India basis. He has led transactions across Offices, Hotels, Retail, Residential & Warehousing assets.
He has worked with marque investors, including global pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, global insurance companies, development finance institutions and domestic funds. He has led multiple capital raises, cumulating to ~ US$ 1.5 billion + of funds raised for investments in India.
As part of his ~17 years professional journey, Gaurav has the unique experience of being a part of leadership cadres at Godrej group (Godrej Leadership Forum) and Tata Group (Tata Administrative Services).
Rahul Parikh is the Head of Treasury at Embassy REIT. He joined Embassy REIT in July 2021 and is responsible for managing the capital structure, fund raising, liquidity, and investments of the REIT. He has over 18 years of experience in corporate finance, treasury, and capital markets across various sectors such as real estate, infrastructure, and financial services. Rahul holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce from Mumbai University and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, Certified Public Accountant from state of Colorado, US and a graduate of executive general management from the Indian Institute of Management, Bengaluru
Chief Investment Officer & DirectorPPFAS Mutual Fund
India
Mr. Rajeev Thakkar possesses more than three decades of experience across fund management, securities broking, merchant banking, investment banking, and corporate finance. He played a pivotal role in the incorporation of PPFAS Asset Management Pvt. Ltd. (Investment Manager to PPFAS Mutual Fund) and, in 2013, was instrumental in launching its flagship equity scheme—the Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund. Today, it stands as one of the largest actively managed mutual fund scheme in India, with assets under management (AUM) exceeding ₹1 lakh crore, and continues to be managed by him. Currently, he serves as Chief Investment Officer (CIO) – Equity and Director at PPFAS Asset Management Pvt. Ltd., overseeing five of the six schemes introduced under his stewardship since inception.
MD & CEO, Mindspace Business Parks REITMindspace Business Parks REIT
India
Ramesh Nair, a seasoned expert in the Indian real estate sector, currently serves as the MD & CEO of Mindspace Business Parks REIT. With over 25 years of experience, he has spearheaded firms like JLL India and Colliers India, managing large teams and ensuring targeted outcomes. An expert in India Inc., he's been on boards like the RICS Global Regulatory and South Asia, chaired CII Real Estate events, and advised Telangana State. A prolific writer for premier publications and a business news channel guest, he's also a faculty at top Indian business institutes. Ramesh excels in driving growth in evolving markets with astute strategy and compassionate leadership.
Managing Director – Capital Markets (India) JLLJLL India
India
As Managing Director – Investment Sales and Debt Advisory, India, Nishant Kabra leads JLL’s institutional capital markets business across the country, advising domestic and global investors, developers, and financial institutions on real estate transactions and capital strategies.
He oversees investment sales, joint ventures, structured capital, and debt advisory across asset classes including office, retail, logistics, residential, and alternatives. Nishant works closely with sovereign wealth funds, private equity firms, pension funds, and leading developers to facilitate investments, strategic partnerships, and capital deployment in India’s real estate market.
Through this role, he continues to strengthen JLL’s position in India’s institutional real estate sector and support the growth of global capital participation in the market.
Alok Jain is a Principal in the Real Estate Group. Since joining Blackstone, Alok has been involved in evaluating real estate investments in several property types. Before joining Blackstone in 2011, Alok worked as a Hardware Engineer with Nvidia Graphics and was involved in designing and verifying complex computer chips. Alok received Bachelors of Engineering (Hons.) from BITS-Pilani where he was awarded the BITS-Merit and BITS-Alumni scholarships. He completed his MBA in Finance from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore
Ashish has over 20 years of industry experience, with expertise in real estate PE, Lending & Investment Banking. He has ~US$2 Bn of transaction experience across asset classes & capital structures. He founded Certus Capital in Jul’18. Prior to Certus, he co-headed the RE business of global PE firm KKR, in India. Under his leadership since 2013, KKR invested over US$1Bn in various RE projects in India. Before KKR, he was Exec Dir & Head of Acquisitions for Morgan Stanley Real Estate, India. Prior to this, he worked with Kotak Investment Bank and E&Y. At Kotak, he was instrumental in establishing Kotak’s RE investment banking practice. Ashish is ISB, Hyderabad alumni and a CA.
Nihar is the Chief Investment Officer (CIO) at TCG Real Estate, part of a USD 10 bn private equity based diversified group with interests across sectors such as petrochemicals, lifesciences, consumer and real estate. As the CIO, he leads all of the firm’s investments across multiple strategies. Previously, he was Managing Director at MO Alternates which manages multiple real estate funds with cumulative assets of USD ~1 bn. He has a diverse experience of close to 20 years where he has invested across different asset classes through various structures such as equity, credit, mezzanine, distress and special situations. Over the last few years, Nihar has invested in over 100+ assets and has secured successful exits too.
With over 16 years in diverse aspects of Real Estate, I possess significant cross-geographical and cross-functional experience across real estate consulting, transactions and design & project management. My experience spans stints with a multinational real estate services agency, a leading Indian developer, a global retail giant and an architectural design and project services firm. For large part of my career, I have managed budgets and led profit centres helping me build a well– rounded profile as a team player, with exposure to Business Development, Client Relationship Management, Marketing, Sales, People Management, Project Management and Finance.
Mr. Vineet Goyal is a Jt. Managing Director at Kohinoor Group. He made his foray into construction in 2007, when Pune’s construction industry was at its peak. Even as a young leader he spearheaded finance, sales, business development, design, etc. Early in his career, Mr. Vineet visited Japan to study construction best practices, and observed that the Japanese planned every tiny aspect before starting construction – an inspiration that he implemented in his own company. Today, under his dynamic leadership, Kohinoor Group is Pune’s fastest-growing real estate brand. Over the years, he has ventured into multiple verticals and transformed his 39-year-old company into a young vibrant real estate conglomerate.
Mr. Jyoti Prakash Gadia is considered a thought leader in strategic leadership and merchant banking. Under his leadership, Resurgent India Ltd. has emerged as a leading investment banking firm. Resurgent India Ltd., a Category 1 merchant banker, offers an array of services such as Real Estate Project Funding, Private Equity, Debt Syndication, M&A, Stressed Asset Funding, Project Finance, Valuation, Project Feasibility Analysis, Legal & much more. Jyoti Prakash Gadia is the Co-Founder & MD of ScoreMe Solutions, A Fintech company and a council member of the Institute of Cost Accountants of India.
Head Commercial Real Estate Financing, IndiaCitibank India
India
Head the CRE Financing business for Citibank in India, have over 15+ years of experience of dealing in India real estate financing. In my current role I focus on lending / financing in senior/ structured secured loans/ bonds structures against security/ mortgage over income producing assets in India.
Manish Swaroop, a seasoned finance professional, is the Chief Executive Officer at GCPL, a subsidiary of Signature Global. With over 19 years of extensive experience in deal sourcing, evaluating opportunities, investing, and managing portfolio companies, Manish has established himself as a prominent figure in the real estate and finance industry. His career is distinguished by a robust background in private equity, strategic investment across various asset classes, and a keen ability to identify value drivers and mitigate risks.
Senior leader with 25+ years of experience in Real Estate Investment Management, Credit, Project Finance, Investment Banking & Project Management in India and abroad. Heading Nippon India Real Estate investments since 2011 and prior to that had set up and anchored real estate private equity business in previous organization (ICICI Prudential AMC). He has well diversified experience over entire life cycle of Funds (domestic and offshore) and strong track record of investing in real estate projects (residential and commercial) across all stages in various formats across market cycles. Holds Masters in Business Management and B Tech (Civil Engg) and advance certifications from Wharton and Columbia Business School.
As a key stakeholder and Director of Assetz, Sunil Pareek spearheads overall growth strategy of the business and is an integral part of the core leadership. Leads land acquisitions, fundraise, ESG/CSR and project monitoring. A tech and sustainability enthusiast, he manages and supports project life cycle and jointly along with other stakeholders plays critical role in business growth and performance.
Tirthankar Datta is a Partner at JSA. He specialises in cross border transactions spanning banking, finance, mergers & amp; acquisition finance, leveraged finance, project finance, RE finance, insolvency & restructuring transactions. He has been practising law for around 15 years & regularly advises on several marquee debt & equity investment transactions in the RE sector. He has extensive experience in RE financing including both construction finance as well as lease rental discounting facilities, in the residential, commercial, retail and hospitality sectors. He has been recognised as a “Leading Lawyer: Rising Star” in Banking & Finance by IFLR 1000 & He has also been recognized in the influential bi-annual RSG India
Amit Goenka is CEO of Nisus Finance (NiFCO), which manages a USD 30 mn RE debt fund portfolio. He is one of India’s leading experts on RE and Infrastructure, appearing in media, industry and focus events. He was the Founder MD & CEO of Essel Finance (ZEE Group) managing AIF RE debt funds, PMS and offshore fund. As National Director- Investments for Knight Frank he transacted over USD 250 mn of real estate in 3 years covering land, residential, office and hotels. He structured NCDs, private equity and debt deals of ~USD 200 mn. He set up and led India’s first USD 50 mil. Office yield fund (REIT). Amit has also worked with Ernst & Young, Aditya Birla Group and Investment Dar (Kuwait/Dubai). Amit holds a BE, MBA, MFM & MRICS.
Hardeep Sachdeva is a Senior Partner at AZB & Partners with more than 24 years’ experience, he advises Indian as well as international clients and is consistently rated as India’s leading corporate and M&A lawyer. Hardeep advises across several sectors, including real estate, retail, hospitality, industrial parks, SEZs, e-commerce, education, technology, infrastructure, alcoholic beverages and others. Hardeep has been advising in M&A and PE transactions in such sectors and has done some pioneering work in these areas. Hardeep has been actively advising on various private equity investments and other financing transactions, including listed debt securities within and outside India, in both listed and unlisted companies.
Abdul Kader Suriya serves as the Chief Investment Officer (CIO) at SBI Ventures Limited, where he is instrumental in overseeing investments and asset management for the SWAMIH Investment Fund I. With nearly two decades of rich experience in real estate alternative investments, strategic advisory, and investment banking, he has significantly contributed to the sector. Under his leadership, the SWAMIH fund has completed over 54,000 stalled homes and has 30,000+ under construction across India, impacting over 480,000 lives. His professional background includes notable tenures at Morgan Stanley, ICICI Venture, and Brookfield.
Mr. Rohit is a seasoned real estate leader with over 18 years of experience in P&L management, business development, and large-scale project leadership across India and international markets. Currently serving as CEO of Bombay Dyeing – Bombay Realty, he also leads CapitaLand India as Business Head – Tamil Nadu. Previously, he held senior leadership roles at Godrej Properties as Projects Director and at Lodha Group, where he spearheaded operations as Head of the China Office in Shanghai and led business units in Mumbai. His career began with Shapoorji Pallonji Group, where he built a strong foundation in business development.
Head - Corporate Real EstateInfina Finance Private Limited
India
Real Estate Investment professional with over 15 years pan India experience, encompassing various segments - Private Equity (Acquisition and Investment Management), Financial Advisory, Valuations and Strategic Advisory. Currenty working with Infina Finance Private Limited and responsible for developing strategic partnerships with real estate developers in India, Leading team of professionals across geographies, develop and grow Corporate Real Estate debt book for the group.
Sameer Sinha is the Founder and Managing Director of Savvy Group, which has developed over 55 million sq. ft. of residential, commercial, and sports infrastructure projects across Gujarat and Maharashtra, including the Kensville Golf and Country Club. As the largest developer in GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Savvy Group is recognized as a pioneer in sustainable and green building development in Gujarat.
Vithal is a seasoned commercial real estate professional with over 30 years of experience across leading real estate and investment firms. Currently the CEO – Commercial Real Estate at The Phoenix Mills Ltd., he has previously held leadership roles at Kotak Real Estate Fund, Brookfield Properties, and K Raheja Corp. With deep expertise in leasing, investments, and development, Vithal has played a key role in shaping some of India’s major commercial real estate portfolios.
Anuj is a senior Strategy and Investment consulting professional with 19+ years of experience in cross-functional areas of Strategy Planning, M&A, Fundraising, Market Studies & Commercial Due Diligence. Anuj has handled Real Estate transactions and projects of varied nature valued at more than USD 1Bn. His previous stints were with Ernst & Young as Real Estate Advisory Practice for Pan India. He has also worked with Alexandria Real Estate Equities- a 17 Billion dollar REIT based out of the US. Anuj was part of one of the key management teams involved in investing more than US$ 250 Mn in India & developed around 1 Mn SF commercial RE projects across Hyderabad and Bangalore.
As a visionary director in the dynamic Malpani Group, I've led successful ventures in Pune's real estate sector, blending award-winning projects with a commitment to social causes. With an M.Com and an MBA from The University of Queensland, Australia, I bring a global perspective to my leadership. Outside of work, I'm an avid reader, fitness enthusiast, scuba diver, paraglider, and developer. I'm proud of the Malpani Group's dedication to quality, customer service, and transparency.
With 15 years of experience across real estate, finance, and construction, I am a Founding Partner at Arbour Investments, where I lead strategic initiatives focused on innovation and market-driven investment strategies. My expertise lies in identifying emerging trends, shaping forward-looking solutions, and integrating technology to drive value for stakeholders. I bring a collaborative leadership style and a passion for delivering impactful outcomes—for both our clients and our team.
Kaling Porwal is the Managing Director at Downtown Lifespaces, a RE development firm based in Mumbai. He earned his education from The University of Manchester. His interests lies in Buildings, Bitcoin & Bollywood.
CEO - Hiranandani Group, Real Estate & Infrastructure BusinessHiranandani Group
India
As the CEO - Hiranandani Group Real Estate & Infrastructure Business, he drives the Business Strategy & Re-engineering, Operations,Investments/Divestments & M & A. across business verticals of Real estate, Infrastructure/Utilities, Industrial & Logistics parks. He is also associated with Pegasus Fininvest Advisory Pvt. Ltd. Prior to Hiranandani Group, He was the Group director & CEO of a large entity operating in the Hospitality and Real estate sector. He was also the Group CFO of “Future Capital Holdings Ltd.” He was the CFO for “Britannia Industries Ltd.”. He has had a long stint of 7 years with “Coca-Cola India” as Vice-President Finance and as a board member at the bottling company “Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Ltd.
