Who is Manav Sardana, buyer of DLF's The Dahlias penthouse in Gurugram for Rs 271 crore?

Entrepreneur Manav Sardana has bought a penthouse at DLF's luxury residential project The Dahlias in Gurugram for Rs 271 crore, making it the most expensive single-unit residential transaction in India, according to two people aware of the deal quoted by The Economic Times.

Sardana was associated with Imperial Auto, a company that was acquired by global private equity firm Warburg Pincus.

The penthouse spans 17,200 sq ft of super area and has a carpet area of 10,500 sq ft. Based on its carpet area, the deal works out to around Rs 2.6 lakh per sq ft, placing the property among India's most expensive residential transactions on a per-square-foot basis.

DLF's luxury project sees strong demand

The transaction comes as DLF's The Dahlias continues to attract high-value buyers. Aakash Ohri, managing director and chief business officer, DLF, said during the company's Q1FY27 analyst call that around 34 units were sold in the preceding quarter.

"We are almost about 65 per cent sold. The price realisation is now over ₹1 lakh a square foot, and on higher floors about touching ₹120,000 a square foot (on super area). The entry level of the project is ₹100 crore plus, and almost over 25-30% of our business now is coming from the rest of India and outside, which is NRI," Ohri had told investors, reported The Economic Times.

The project has continued to see demand from wealthy buyers beyond Gurugram and Delhi-NCR. DLF has said that some of the country's wealthiest families from tier-2 cities are also showing interest in apartments at the project.

His business interests extend beyond auto

Sardana's corporate records show associations with several companies across manufacturing, real estate and trading. These include Kreuz Hydraulics, Chattels Estate, Imperial Silicon, Superwell Comtrade and other companies linked to the Imperial group.

His association with the auto-components sector also stretches back more than a decade. Corporate records list him as a director in companies including Imperial Martor Engine Tubes, Nichirin Imperial Autoparts India and Imperial Auto Nylon Tubing.

The purchase puts Sardana among the most prominent names associated with India's ultra-luxury residential market, although details about his personal wealth and other assets are not publicly established in the available records.

Another Rs 100 crore-plus deal

The latest purchase follows another high-value transaction at The Dahlias. DLF had earlier sold a residential apartment in the project to businessman and investor Madhusudan Murlidhar Kela for Rs 120.7 crore.

With the latest Rs 271 crore transaction, The Dahlias has further cemented its position in India's ultra-luxury residential market, where large-ticket individual apartment purchases have become increasingly prominent.