Malegaon to Mannat via Mumbra
Bill Gates once said, “If you are born poor it is not your mistake, but if you die poor it is your mistake”. Defying the odds and carving his own bright future is this enterprising entrepreneur, born in Malegaon to a humble set of parents and nine other siblings for company. In a heartfelt conversation with KYT, the real estate tycoon Mr. Farid Zariwala, sipping his hot cup of tea at home, which is just adjacent to Shah Rukh Khan’s Mannat, discusses his journey from Malegaon to Bandra and more.
Mr. Zariwala was born and brought up in Malegaon and it was only after he turned 11, he shifted to Mumbra, a modest area in the shadow of Mumbai. “Hailing from a humble financial background, I started working from a very early age to support my family. We were a big family, 12 members strong, so it was important for each of us to make some contribution to meet both ends. I started selling handkerchiefs on local trains. I did this for sometime till one accident compelled me to give up on my job. After seeing blood stains on my clothes, after that accident, my parents asked me to search for another job in Mumbra”, avers Mr. Zariwala.
He found a new job as a curing boyat his brother Anwar Noori’s construction site in Mumbra. Juggling between school and work, he managed to strike a perfect balance between the two. In the process, he learnt some of the nitty-gritty of the construction business. His hard work was rewarded when he got the chance to redevelop a building at just 19 years of age. He recalls, “At the age of 19, I got a chance to redevelop a building. Thanks to Dada bhai who helped me. I owe my success to him.
I looked so young that while booking a flat, customers would insist that I call my father (smiles). I therefore decided to have a small office for myself where I will have one person, who would meet the clients and show the flats to them.”
He further adds, “The age between 19 and 26 is such that you can take risks in whatever you do in your life. After 26, the level of fear increases and by the time you are 45 it is at the peak. During my years of struggle when I was trying to find my feet, my parents were with me right through and I think that was a true blessing.”
Born in a Memon family, business came naturally to him. It was not too long before he started his own company by the name Noori Group of Companies. He owns two offices; one in Mumbra and one in Bandra. Since the time of inception to date, Mr. Zariwala has completed more than 100 projects spread across Mumbra-Kausa and Navi Mumbai over a sprawling 15 lakh square feet. At present, he is working on another five lakh square feet of construction.
Mr. Zariwala, who is the President of Mumbra-Kausa builders’ association mentions, “Builders are now professionally developing Mumbra. This is attracting the outsiders. We have never charged exorbitantly, rather we make premium things and people pay us the premium.”
He further adds, “One should have honest intentions while working in this profession. As far as I am concerned I build every house as if I am going to reside in it. I have constructed thousands of houses till date varying from a 1 BHK to a bungalow. Every house was built with the same honesty and passion. I feel a builder gets the maximum blessings from the customers and that could be possible only if the builder builds every home as if it were to be owned by the builder.”
Though Mr. Zariwala does not have a particular role model from his industry, he admires Bollywood stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan. He shares, “Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan are both self- made men. Amitabh Bachchan, who is in his late seventies, works 18 hours a day and carries tiffin daily. His profession demands certain time and energy. After so many years in the industry, he still continues to do so.”
Over the years in the real estate business, not all was hunky-dory for Mr. Zariwala. There were certain challenging phases which made him only stronger. He recalls, “I was developing a CIDCO plot where I incurred huge losses. The project cost was around Rs. 12-15 lakh and I spent as much as Rs. 40 lakh only on MSEB. I knew I was caught off guard. My younger brother Abubakar Zariwala stood by me during this period. In hindsight, I feel that project came into my life only to make me a better businessman.”
From left to Right (Abubakar Zariwala, Farid Noori, Rafique Zariwala, Anwar Noori, Irfan Zariwala, Zubair Zariwala, Junaid Zariwala).
Mr. Zariwala is a staunch believer of team work. He states, “You need to respect and love your team just like your family members. Give them the credit they deserve. Relations are extremely important in any business.” He had once invited his plumber’s family for lunch to his home. That plumber was with him for 25 years.
After having changed the real estate landscape of Thane and adjacent areas, Mr. Zariwala wants to delve into the healthcare industry. “My future plan is to set up three hospitals and a dialysis center. With my son having a formal education in health care, it will certainly help us traversing the unchartered territory. Thane has given me a lot and now it is time for me to give back to the city its desired due”, concludes Mr. Zariwala.
Before signing off, Mr. Zariwala offered some words of wisdom for the Gen Z as well as the budding real estate developers, “It’s unfortunate to see youngsters wasting their time on social media. Instead, they should focus on reading and challenge their brain with difficult tasks. I often wondered why our school teachers wasted time in teaching algebra or geometry as we never actually use those formulas in our professional life. Later one of my teachers told me that the motive behind teaching such subjects was to prepare the brain for all kinds of challenges and grow its capacity to think deeply. Youngsters should spend good quality time reading and exploring new things. It is important for you to plan your career well. Let me give you an anecdote. There are two people; one is watering a Babul plant while the other one is watering a mango plant. After a few years one gets thorns and the other gets fruits. So, choose your path wisely. Be a patient listener rather than a talker. Learn from the experiences of others. With regards to real estate business, the budding entrepreneurs should be aware of local machinery (government, police, etc.) Street smartness is the key to success. Don’t run behind success instead run behind work. I have done all kinds of construction right from constructing bathrooms to premium villas. Never treat any work big or small.”
Prominent Project Names : Blue Bells, Bella Vista, Avon Noorie, Team Noori, Fortune Heights, Berkat,
Noori Garden, Tayseer Noori
Mr. Farid Noori
* KOLSA MOHALLA MEMON JAMAT : Trustee
* DRT : Managing Trustee MCHI BOARD MEMBER
* president for BUILDERS ASSOCIATION MUMBRA KAUSA
Read E-Magazine : Farid Noori-Feb 22
