No, we weren’t involved in that hit Hindi film of the same name. But just around the time Indian moviegoers were falling in love with a buddy comedy about three intrepid working women, in April 2024, we launched CREW, which stands for “Collective of Real Estate Women.” The intent was to build a platform that makes it possible for women in real estate, construction, and allied sectors to connect with each other, facilitating opportunities for collaboration, knowledge sharing and professional development. CREW is also part of our effort to manage a strong talent pipeline across key functions, with particular emphasis on diversity and inclusion.
Through CREW, we hope to facilitate an increase in representation of women in real estate, help build business networks for women, and make it possible for them to succeed in leadership roles in the industry.
Collective of Real Estate Women (CREW) Launch
Our launch event in Pune was attended by over 400 women, and in Ahmedabad by over 150 women. At these events, our goal was to raise awareness about the objectives of the programme and facilitate focused engagement activities.
Through targeted outreach and promotion, we built a talent pool of over 900 women in this zone. After the launches, we conducted hiring drives, and invited 50 direct interviews from the CREW database. We found ourselves 13 full-time employees (26%) and 8 contract employees (16%): a 42% conversion rate, conducted particularly across our design, operations, and sales verticals.
CREW's Mumbai Zone Launch at Godrej One
Our launch event in the North Zone was attended by over 380 women including internal and external participants. We organised panel discussions with industry leaders around themes of inclusivity, innovation, and talent nurturing as key forces for real estate’s future. The event concluded with a well-received stand-up comedy session. It strengthened our efforts to facilitate collaboration and networking within the real estate field, and generated enthusiasm and interest for future CREW initiatives across India.
We’ve also expanded our CREW launch to the South Zone and Mumbai Zone.
CREW, Mumbai
The CREW Mumbai chapter launch witnessed over 200 attendees, including 95 internal employees and 100+ external participants.
The event began with a thought-provoking keynote by Priyansh Kapoor, who emphasized GPL's commitment to creating an equitable workspace for women and outlined ongoing initiatives. Following this, a panel discussion featured Shrayana Bhattacharya (Senior Economist, World Bank), who advocated for collective action to feminize workspaces, and highlighted the importance of personal choices for women in their careers. Samira Gupta shared insights as a coach on the importance of continuous education and upskilling for women. Priyamvada Navet reflected on her journey at GPL, while Urvashi Panchal highlighted the value of diverse teams.
Stand-up comedian Anu Menon brought humour to the stage and the proceedings. The session also included inspiring experience-sharing by women employees, such as Madhura Navare (DGM, Sustenance Sales) who spoke about breaking stereotypes as a woman in channel sales. Some of the other employees who shared their experiences were Dhara Gandhi (DGM, Sustenance Sales), Orina Dsouza (SM, Regional CC Head - MMR1), and Shruthi Nayanar (DGM - PD).
The event concluded with a lively Mentimeter session led by HR head Joy Ekka, capturing our audience’s pulse and engagement.
CREW Bangalore kicked off with an inspiring start, bringing together 200+ industry professionals and leaders in a powerful step toward reshaping the future of real estate — one where women lead, grow, and thrive.
Megha Goel, CHRO, spoke about the vision behind CREW and the strides we’ve made so far, emphasizing the importance of representation and community in accelerating change. She also highlighted GPL’s DEI efforts in the South Zone, reinforcing the company’s commitment to driving tangible progress.
Debleena Banerjee, Strategy Head South Zone, moderated a panel: “Redefining Success: Navigating Growth & Leadership as Women in Real Estate.” It brought forward diverse perspectives from panelists Shwetha Pai MRICS, Shilpa Shree Venkatesh, and Dhanya Kartha on what success means for women in real estate today, how to balance career and personal growth, and the challenges of stepping into leadership roles.
As the evening progressed, stories of ambition, resilience, and breaking barriers took centre stage during The Growth Grid, where women shared career-defining moments, personal milestones, and experiences of navigating challenges in the industry. This collective exchange of experiences reinforced our shared commitment to building something bigger together.
CREW's South Zone Launch in Bengaluru
Text and image by GPL's DEI team.