Mangalore
October 15, 2008

The volatile real estate industry has witnessed many upheavals in undivided Dakshina Kannada district. While everyone jumps at the bandwagon when there is a boom, there are very few takers when the chips are down and out.  Destiny certainly favours the bold and brave and Jerry Vincent Dias of Udupi belongs to that group of people who dare to take the bull by the horn to come out unscathed but much stronger and successful. Mandavi Group which he established in 1996 has in the last 12 years emerged as the king of real estate in the temple town of Udupi.

The year was 1995 and Jerry had come down to his motherland for good after slogging in Saudi Arabia for 18 years. He wanted to start a business and the first business that came to his mind was bus line, to operate AC buses between Mumbai-Mangalore.  That was the time when the Konkan Railway was to begin its services directly linking Mumbai and Mangalore.  He consulted many people including bus owners who were running bus services between Mangalore-Mumbai and was dissuaded from taking up the bus business. Finally he listened to the advice of Vishal Travels, his distant relatives and shelved the idea of bus business.  He was advised by them to invest in lands and he heeded to the advice though he was dissuaded to do so by friends and well-wishers. 

But good sense prevailed and Jerry took the brave step of investing in a prime land near Udupi bus stand and made a quiet entry into the real estate field.  “I ventured into the business at a time when the real estate business was going through a slump. People were unhappy because many builders had cheated them without completing the projects undertaken. There was a rumour doing rounds in Udupi that whoever buys flats in Udupi goes flat.  Naturally my friends and well-wishers dissuaded me saying real estate business suits only the rough and the tough and it is not meant for Christians.  But I took a risk believing in myself and it has paid me handsomely”, he states. 

“Mandavi Residency” the 6-floor residential apartment building having 43 flats plus offices was his first ambitious venture built in a 33 cents land he had purchased in Udupi.  It was nothing but struggle in the beginning and Jerry had to run from pillar to post for booking flats. “People actually were laughing at me saying I was putting my money into drains and when senior builders had burnt their fingers there was no way I will reverse the trend”, he recalls. With locals showing no interest in flats he went to Mumbai approaching Kannada Sangha, Billava Sangha Catholic Sangha, Buntara Sangha and other industrialist friends seeking booking for his flats.  He even went to Bangalore and Delhi and his rich experience as a salesman in Saudi helped him in this task of selling.  The initial capital came flowing in the form of advance when he succeeded in booking 20 flats and slowly the locals also began to evince some interest and booked the flats subsequently.  He completed the project  within the stipulated 2 years and won over the hearts of his clients and as the cliché goes there has been no looking back ever since. 

Today Mandavi is a name to reckon with in the real estate field in Udupi. The name Mandavi does not connote any caste, religion or person.  Jerry was fascinated by the river Mandavi and felt the flowing water is a good omen for his project and christened his project “Mandavi”.  He attributes his success to hard work, courage and God’s blessings.  “Timely completion of projects and quality control are the twin factors which played a pivotal role in the success of Mandavi projects. I always stand by my promise come what may,” he reiterates.  His creative endeavor and the enthusiasm to succeed contributed in its own way to his accomplishments. 

Recognition to Mandavi came in the form of Mandavi Palace, the group’s first project in Manipal and with it came the confidence to go in for 2-3 projects simultaneously. Mandavi Enclave and Mandavi Towers came up in succession which built his reputation in Udupi.  Slowly projects started coming up in Manipal and Udupi in the form of Mandavi Meredian, Mandavi Paradise, Mandavi Court, and Mandavi Plaza.  But Jerry was not the one to be contented with this.  He ventured into mega projects like Mandavi Pearl City, an ambitious project of the group comprising 195 flats having 9 floors. Spread over 2 ½ acres of land having 3 wings, just behind the Manipal University, it is on the verge of completion and would open up new vistas in the field of residential buildings in Manipal.

But the project that is really looked forward to with bated breath is the Mandavi Emerald which will be launched on October 3, 2008. Spread over a vast mass of 4 ½ acres of land just next to Mandavi Pearl City it has 5 towers with 396 apartments.  The project will be completed in 30 months period and would certainly prove to be a landmark in Manipal. Jerry’s eldest Son Glen Dias, a civil engineer, has been groomed to take over the responsibility of the growing empire and is roped in as a partner in this project. “Anything we do we sit together and decide.  My father is like a friend,” says a young Glen, looking mature beyond his age.

Mandavi project has been a one-man-show with Jerry putting his heart and soul. But he gratefully acknowledges the contributions of his architects and engineers.  The group has three more projects in the pipeline – Mandavi Empire near MGM College, Mandavi Galaxy in Udupi and Mandavi Presidency in Kinnimulky. 

The family lives in Santhekatte and follows a strict regimen of discipline.  His wife Mercy Molly Dias has been the constant pillar of support in his activities.  The couple has three children.  Elder son Glen is following in the footsteps of his father rendering a helping hand in his business.  “He has been exposed to the field for the last 6 to 7 years even when he was doing his studies”, says a proud father.  His second son Jason is doing his commerce and daughter Lara is studying in class VIII.

Jerry enjoys being well dressed and has a passion for cars.  He follows the good old saying   ‘early to bed and early to rise’ dictum, which he feels is the key to his health. Sunday is usually reserved for family and to attend to some public functions.  Otherwise he works from 8 am to 7 pm everyday. It gives great satisfaction when he is able to complete his projects in time and see the smile on the face of his clients when the keys are handed over to them. “When people invest their life’s earning in purchasing a home, it is my duty to give them the worth of their money,” he states.

Despite unprecedented success Jerry still remains down-to-earth who believes in giving.  He has no faith in the luck factor and reasons “One cannot sit waiting for luck to smile.  We have to go in search of luck rather than waiting for it to come to our doorsteps.” He is certainly a role model to all those who nurture the ambition of striking it big through hard work and sincerity.  Jerry is the perfect example to show that hard work pays rich dividend. 

• Jerry Dias in Dubai from Oct 16 to Oct 26, 2008 More Details