Chandan Srivastava -The Entrepreneurs of India Magazine

Chandan Srivastava didn’t step into business with just a product or a plan. He came with something rarer—a mission. From day one, his idea wasn’t to launch a company with a fixed identity, but to create an entity that could evolve, adapt, and reflect the spirit of its time. A business not boxed into one industry, but built on integrity and guided by a deeply practical vision. That seed of intention became the foundation of what we now know as the Ishaan Group.

What began as a single real estate project grew slowly, deliberately, into something much larger. The Ishaan Group didn’t explode overnight—it matured over time, tested in moments of market uncertainty, shaped by bold decisions and adaptive shifts. Eventually, the group expanded its footprint into infrastructure, hospitality, and digital transformation. It was never a straight-line journey. It was a story of calibration—responding to what India needed, not just what trends demanded.

From the beginning, Chandan ensured this wouldn’t be just another profit-first business.It had to be people-first. His early business experiences revealed that models which don’t evolve eventually fade. Many entrepreneurs fall into the trap of assumption. Chandan avoided that entirely—he went deep. He focused on understanding markets from the root up. That approach—staying grounded in real realities, not just theoretical trends—still defines the way Ishaan Group operates.

Every vertical that bears the Ishaan Group name is built on the same unshakable values: transparency, ethics, and care. Whether it’s a housing development, a digital consultancy, or a hospitality venture, the commitment to doing right by people never wavers. It’s not a motto—it’s how the business breathes.

One-size-fits-all? That’s not how Ishaan Group works. It never has. Each offering is designed with precision and personalization. The group’s customer-first approach cuts across every industry it touches. Whether someone is buying a smart home, booking a resort stay, or engaging in a tech partnership, the experience is designed to feel personal, engaged, and human.

One of the boldest shifts came during a time of comfort. Real estate was thriving. Profits were strong. Growth was steady. But Chandan saw ahead. He sensed that the landscape was about to change. Technology was creeping into every sector. Customers were demanding more, faster, better. To stay still would be to slowly fall behind.

So he did what few leaders do when things are going well—he took a risk. He diversified. Ishaan Group entered unknown terrain. They hired differently. They dismantled outdated systems. Not every venture succeeded—but the ones that did transformed the company from a stable player into a forward-looking powerhouse.

Today, Ishaan Group is respected for more than its output—it’s respected for its mindset. The company’s real estate and infrastructure projects don’t just tick boxes.

They meet global standards, often exceeding environmental benchmarks. Green materials, water-saving systems, passive solar designs—it’s all intentional. Many projects are IGBC and LEED-certified, but the mindset is what matters most.

Chandan doesn’t see sustainability as a badge. He sees it as a duty. His embrace of technology has been just as deep. From AI-powered hospitality services to IoT-based facility management and predictive data tools, Ishaan Group has become smarter, leaner, and quicker. But it’s not just internal. The company now helps other organizations digitize, bringing its tech fluency to businesses still stuck in legacy systems. CSR at Ishaan Group isn’t an annual report entry. It’s embedded in the blueprint of every project.

From hiring local labor to investing in grassroots education and healthcare initiatives, Chandan has ensured that social good is not an afterthought—it’s a core requirement. “Our motive is to first ask ourselves—how can this benefit the community?” he says. “Unless we have a clear answer, we do not proceed.”

This isn't just philosophy—it’s the business model. The group now partners with MSMEs in the hospitality sector. It prioritizes sustainability-based vendor sourcing. It runs skill-building programs that serve not only business needs but community upliftment. Inclusion isn’t a trend here—it’s a practice.

Internally, Chandan’s leadership model is rooted in trust. He doesn’t hover.He builds teams—and lets them lead. Micromanagement has no space in Ishaan Group. Empowerment is key. Teams are encouraged to own decisions, experiment freely, and—even when they fail—learn quickly. The organizational culture doesn’t rely on fear to produce results. It runs on mutual accountability, transparency, and clarity.

He listens more than he speaks. And that’s rare.

Chandan believes that those closest to the challenge often have the smartest solutions. That belief has led to a culture of reverse feedback and constant internal dialogue. It’s how the group stays agile.

Learning never stops for him either. Despite holding multiple degrees, Chandan studies every day. He reads books, dives into economic papers, listens to trend analysis podcasts, and spends time absorbing team insights. His motto? “It’s not what you know that matters—it’s how fast you’re willing to unlearn.”

Each morning, before business takes over, he spends time in solitude. Reading. Meditating. Writing. These rituals ground him.

It’s how he maintains clarity amid the chaos. According to him, strategic thinking doesn’t come from meetings—it comes from silence and reflection. That’s where direction is found.

Not every chapter in his journey has been successful. In one instance, a promising expansion project collapsed despite all the right numbers. The reason? A misread of local dynamics. Chandan owns that mistake fully. He says it was one of the most important lessons of his career—to never let surface data substitute for local intelligence.

Looking ahead, the Ishaan Group is targeting expansion across Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The goal? To take their people-first, planet-conscious, tech-driven model into new territories. This includes real estate, smart infrastructure, and eco-sensitive hospitality.

But that’s not all.

A new vertical is coming—focused entirely on social enterprise. From skill-tech to youth-driven education platforms, the next chapter of Ishaan Group is as socially conscious as it is commercially strategic. Leadership development is another major theme, with plans underway to mentor future leaders who don’t just execute but envision. Chandan is especially optimistic about four sectors: green urban development, the digital upgrade of legacy businesses, affordable housing, and skill-based education. These, he believes, are areas where business meets humanity—and that’s where the future lies.As an established player himself, today, he shares:  “Start bold. Stay grounded. Always remember the purpose of your beginning.”

He doesn’t glorify hustle.He glorifies purpose.

To him, success is not about being the biggest. It’s about building something that lasts—because it means something.