Triple Doctorate | Real Estate Legend | Author | Independent Director | NITI Aayog Mentor of Change
In the real estate industry, the absence of ethical leadership, customer-focused practices, and strong mentorship can lead to broken trust, poor decision-making, workplace inequality, and limited growth opportunities. Without experienced professionals guiding businesses, supporting skill development, and encouraging women to step into leadership roles, many talented individuals struggle to build sustainable careers while organizations fail to create lasting value, transparency, and positive community impact.
Dr. Kettaki Kasbekar – a real estate expert, POSH and DEI Trainer, POCSO Trainer, Author of Brick by Brick, and Skilling Head at NAREDCO Mahi, has dedicated more than 28 years to strengthening the real estate industry through ethical leadership, customer relationship management, strategic planning, land acquisition, negotiations, and business development. Her work focuses on building transparent, customer-centric, and sustainable practices that help organizations improve operational efficiency, strengthen stakeholder trust, and achieve long-term growth in a rapidly evolving industry.
Alongside her professional leadership, she actively works toward women’s empowerment, workplace inclusivity, and skill development through mentorship, leadership programmes, and training initiatives. By helping aspiring professionals build confidence, industry knowledge, and leadership capabilities, she continues to create a stronger and more inclusive real estate ecosystem.
Felicitated at the prestigious ET Women Conclave 2024 by former Miss Universe and renowned actor Sushmita Sen, honoured as the Legendary Woman in Indian Real Estate by Hon’ble Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, recognised as the Most Iconic Global Women Leader at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Memorial Awards, celebrated as the Most Intelligent and Influential Women Leader at the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Inspiration Awards, and crowned Super Woman 2025 at the Forever Star India Awards — Dr. Kettaki Kasbekar’s contributions have been acknowledged across India’s most prestigious stages, by its most distinguished personalities.
A 28-year legacy of multidisciplinary experience
Dr. Kettaki Kasbekar’s journey in real estate began in 1998, during a time when the industry was largely male-dominated and opportunities for women were limited. From the start, she was drawn to the deeper impact of real estate – seeing it not just as construction of spaces but as a way to shape communities, create opportunities, and improve everyday lives.
She entered the field with determination, curiosity, and a willingness to understand every aspect of the business from the ground up.
Over the past 28 years, she has gained extensive experience across Sales, Customer Relationship Management, Land Acquisition, Negotiations, Business Planning, Strategic Leadership, and Organisational Development. This diverse exposure helped her build a strong understanding of both the operational and strategic dimensions of the industry. Working closely with customers, developers, and stakeholders reinforced her belief that trust, transparency, and long-term value are the true foundation of success in real estate.
As her career progressed, she focused on introducing more customer-centric approaches, improving operational efficiency, and strengthening ethical business practices. At the same time, she became increasingly aware of the importance of gender inclusion, which encouraged her to actively support women in building careers and stepping into leadership roles in the industry.
Walking the path without a guide
Entering the real estate sector as a woman in the late 1990s came with significant challenges. The industry was largely male-dominated, and women often had to work much harder to prove their credibility and secure leadership roles. Gender bias was one of the biggest hurdles – where skills, decisions, and expertise were sometimes questioned simply because she was a woman in a competitive field. Along with this, the lack of mentorship and support systems made the journey even more demanding, as there were very few women in senior positions to guide or inspire others.
Despite these challenges, Dr. Kettaki Kasbekar chose to stay focused on learning, discipline, and consistent professional growth. She believed that performance, ethical conduct, and strong knowledge would eventually overcome stereotypes. Each challenge became an opportunity to grow stronger and more confident. She also placed strong emphasis on education and skill development, which helped her build deep expertise across sales, CRM, land acquisition, strategic planning, and leadership – earning her respect and recognition in the industry over time.
These experiences shaped her commitment to creating more inclusive opportunities for women in real estate. Today, through mentorship and leadership development initiatives such as those at NAREDCO Mahi, she continues to guide and support women professionals. Her focus remains on helping future generations enter the industry with greater confidence, better support systems, and stronger opportunities than before.
Three doctorates and extensive academic research
Education has always been a key foundation of Dr. Kettaki Kasbekar’s personal and professional growth. While hands-on industry experience helped her understand real-world challenges, academic research enabled her to study trends in depth, understand long-term changes, and approach solutions with a more strategic mindset. She strongly believes that effective leadership comes from a balanced combination of practical experience and academic knowledge.
Her first doctorate, earned from the Indian Management School & Research Centre, explored the evolving dynamics of the Indian real estate sector from 1998 to the present — focusing on urbanisation and demographic shifts, taxation reforms and policy changes, foreign direct investment influence, technological advancements, and sustainable development practices.
Her second doctorate — a Doctoral in Business Administration from SSBM Geneva, Switzerland — focused on the quantitative dimensions of Customer Relationship Management, highlighting data-driven decision-making, customer behaviour analysis, business performance optimisation, and long-term relationship-building strategies.
Her third doctorate, also from the Indian Management School & Research Centre, examined a subject deeply personal to her journey — The Silent Struggles of Women in Leadership and Boardroom: Navigating the Stereotypes, Bias and Workplace Exclusion. This research is a courageous and rigorous examination of the systemic barriers women face in corporate India, combining lived experience with academic depth to advocate for meaningful and lasting change.
Helping women grow confidence and industry expertise
Women’s empowerment and skill development are central to Dr. Kettaki Kasbekar’s professional journey. Over the years, she has closely observed the challenges women face while entering and growing in the real estate sector. This understanding has driven her to create opportunities, mentorship support, and structured guidance for aspiring women professionals.
As the Skilling Head at NAREDCO Mahi, she works to increase women’s participation in real estate through education, leadership development programmes, mentorship initiatives, and capacity-building efforts. Her focus is on helping women gain confidence, build strong industry knowledge, and develop the leadership skills needed to succeed in a competitive environment.
She strongly believes that inclusion plays a key role in the future growth of any industry. Diverse perspectives lead to better ideas, stronger decision-making, and greater innovation. Along with skilling initiatives, she actively supports equal opportunities, workplace inclusivity, and continuous professional development for women. For her, empowerment goes beyond representation – it is about helping women overcome barriers, realize their potential, and grow into confident leaders who can bring meaningful change to the industry and society.
Creating safer workplaces through POSH and DEI training
As a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Dr. Kettaki Kasbekar brings a structured, process-driven approach to professional excellence, emphasising continuous improvement and operational efficiency.
Her roles as a POSH and DEI Trainer focus on building safe, respectful, and inclusive workplaces across organisations.
These responsibilities include:
- Workplace safety and POSH compliance training
- Child protection awareness and POCSO education
- Building respectful and inclusive organisational cultures
- Promoting inclusion and dignity at work
- Community mediation and conflict resolution
- Strengthening empathy-driven leadership practices
Her experience as a certified Community Mediator and specialist in Alternate Dispute Resolution from ILS Law College, Pune, further enhances her ability to navigate sensitive situations with fairness, empathy, and clarity. Together, these roles reflect her deep commitment to equity, safety, and human-centred leadership.
Mentorship that sparks innovation
Serving as a Mentor of Change with NITI Aayog has been one of the most meaningful parts of Dr. Kettaki Kasbekar’s professional journey, as it allows her to directly contribute to shaping future leaders and innovators. Through this prestigious initiative, she works closely with students to encourage innovation, critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills that prepare them for real-world challenges aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
She strongly believes that mentorship can change the direction of a young person’s life. According to her, students need the right guidance, encouragement, and opportunities to explore their potential with confidence. By sharing her experiences and insights, she helps them build self-belief, expand their thinking, and develop a practical, solution-oriented approach to challenges. For her, mentorship goes beyond career guidance; it is about helping individuals understand that leadership grows through curiosity, discipline, resilience, and continuous learning. She also views this role as a way of contributing to nation-building, where investing in young minds today creates stronger communities and a more capable future.
An honest look at the struggle
Brick by Brick: My Journey Through Real Estate and Beyond is a deeply personal work that reflects not just a professional journey but also the struggles, lessons, failures, and achievements that have shaped a long career in a highly competitive industry. The book offers an honest and grounded account of what it truly takes to build a meaningful path in real estate.
The central idea of the book is simple yet profound — success is not built overnight. Just like a strong structure is created brick by brick, a strong career and life are shaped through patience, resilience, consistency, and determination. Every challenge and setback becomes part of the foundation that supports future growth.
The book also encourages aspiring professionals, especially women, to not let obstacles define their future. Difficulties, doubts, and challenges will always be part of the journey, but persistence and belief in oneself can help overcome them. It further highlights the human side of leadership, where every success is backed by hard work, sacrifice, learning, and continuous growth, with the hope that these experiences inspire others to pursue their goals with confidence and courage.
Recognised across India’s most prestigious platforms
Dr. Kettaki Kasbekar expresses deep gratitude and humility for every recognition received throughout her journey, viewing awards as a reflection of years of dedication, consistent effort, and a strong commitment to creating meaningful impact in the industry and society.
She was felicitated at the ET Women Conclave 2024 by former Miss Universe and renowned actor Sushmita Sen — a moment that reflected her standing among India’s most influential women leaders. Being named the Legendary Woman in Indian Real Estate by Hon’ble Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha holds special significance, as it reflects her long-term contribution toward reshaping perceptions and creating opportunities within the sector.
Awards such as the Most Intelligent and Influential Women Leader at the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Inspiration Awards 2025, the Most Iconic Global Women Leader at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Memorial Awards 2025, the Super Woman 2025 in the Multi Talent Category at the Forever Star India Awards, and the Surface Reporter Salutes for Excellence in Real Estate stand as important milestones in her professional journey.
For her, these honours are not just personal achievements but a reflection of the trust and support of everyone associated with her journey. She also believes that such recognition brings greater responsibility — reminding her that leadership involves continuous inspiration, contribution, and creating opportunities for others.
Passionate for empowering people
Dr. Kettaki Kasbekar’s motivation comes from a strong desire to keep learning, growing, and contributing in meaningful ways. She believes that growth is a continuous journey – no matter how much experience or recognition one gains, there is always more to learn and new ways to create impact.
She is deeply committed to reading, research, and understanding emerging trends, as she feels knowledge is essential to stay relevant in a changing world and to guide others effectively. A key source of her drive is also her passion for empowering people through mentorship, training, leadership development, and professional guidance – helping individuals realize their potential and achieve their goals.
For her, true success goes beyond personal achievement. She believes leadership should create positive change, strengthen communities, and open opportunities for future generations – and this sense of purpose continues to guide and motivate her every day.
Don’t let challenges hold you back
Dr. Kettaki Kasbekar encourages aspiring professionals and future women leaders to never let challenges hold them back from pursuing their dreams. Every journey comes with obstacles, uncertainty, and moments of self-doubt – but resilience, discipline, and continuous learning can help overcome even the toughest situations. She emphasises that people should not allow societal expectations or limitations to define their capabilities and instead focus on building skills, knowledge, and confidence.
She believes success does not happen overnight but is shaped gradually through consistency, determination, and hard work. According to her, true leadership comes from integrity, empathy, and purpose – where professional success is meaningful only when it creates a positive impact on others. For her, continuous learning and adaptability are essential, as lasting success is built step by step through vision, resilience, and purposeful action — truly, brick by brick.
