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Ajay Harinath Singh has made history by becoming the only Indian whose company will own and develop a hill station. His firm, Darwin Platform Infrastructure Ltd (DPIL), has been given the green light to take over Lavasa, a scenic but long-stalled project near Mumbai.
Lavasa is India’s first planned artificial hill station, located about 180 km from Mumbai and close to Pune. Nestled in the lush Mulshi valley of the Western Ghats, Lavasa covers a vast 20,000 acres and was originally envisioned as a modern, European-style town.
The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) approved DPIL’s Rs 1814 crore bid to take over the Lavasa project. Singh’s firm now holds the responsibility to revive and develop this dream city into a world-class destination.
Singh is an alumnus of Mumbai University and the chairman of the Darwin Platform Group. Known for his diverse business interests, he leads a conglomerate that is now worth over Rs 68,796 crore (about 8.4 billion dollars). Notably, his companies are reported to be debt-free.
Founded in 2010, Singh’s group now includes more than 21 companies operating across 11 countries. From infrastructure and refineries to retail, hospitality, and finance, the group has built a strong global presence in just over a decade.
Singh has never shied away from ambitious moves. His firm has previously placed bids for major assets like Jet Airways, Air India, and Shipping Corporation of India. He also showed interest in acquiring Reliance Capital from the Anil Ambani Group.
Speaking about the Lavasa project, Singh said, “The NCLT has entrusted us with a challenging task to develop an ambitious world-class smart city. We’re eager to revitalise this project and bring it back to life as planned.”
With the Lavasa acquisition, Singh has earned a rare title—he’s now the only Indian whose firm owns a full-fledged hill station. From scenic views to smart city dreams, Lavasa is now set for a major comeback under his leadership.
(Images credit: @achyuta_samanta/X, @Darwinplatform1/X)
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