CREDAI

About the Programme

Built for the Leaders Reshaping India's Real Estate

Real estate development in India is experiencing a thrilling transformation, evolving into a dynamic, multidisciplinary field — driven by changing demographics, shifting customer preferences, the growing sophistication of financial markets, game-changing regulatory reforms and surging demand for sustainable buildings.

Developers are also being called to think beyond the traditional build-to-sell model and embrace a future where commercial real estate is built to own and operate, unlocking long-term revenue streams and creating flexible, multi-purpose spaces.

The RED-L Programme from IIM Ahmedabad equips CREDAI members with the strategic knowledge, financial expertise, and leadership skills to thrive in this landscape, through hands-on capstone projects and real-world applications. Upon completion of this certificate programme, participants earn the status of IIMA alumni.

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Strategic Leadership

Navigate complexity and drive transformative decisions at the highest levels

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Financial Mastery

REITs, private equity, debt financing, and securitization tools

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Global Perspective

Faculty from MIT Sloan, University of Denver, and IIM Ahmedabad

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Future-Ready Skills

AI, ML, ESG, and design thinking for tomorrow's market

Leading the Programme

Programme Chair

Prof. Prashant Das

Associate Professor & Chairperson
Finance & Accounting, IIMA

www.prashantdas.com →

Prashant Das, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Real Estate at IIM Ahmedabad (IIMA). Earlier, he served as the Chairperson of the Finance & Accounting area at IIMA. At IIMA, he developed the Indian Agri Land Price Index (ISALPI) and the Indian Art Price Index (IAIAI). Formerly, he was Associate Professor and Director of the Real Estate Institute at EHL Lausanne, Switzerland. He also has experience in managerial and engineering roles with various entities internationally, and advises government and private entities through consulting roles.

He serves on the board of Arvind Smartspaces (NSE: ARVSMART) and on the Hybrid Securities Advisory Committee of the Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI), which regulates REITs and InvITs. He is a member of the governing councils of the American Real Estate Society, GREMI (Ahmedabad), and XISS (Ranchi). Earlier, he served on the steering committee of the National Housing Bank (NHB), which set up India's first government-promoted mortgage securitization investment bank.

He has taught at Harvard University, the University of California, Irvine (online), and the University of Melbourne (online), and has served as visiting faculty at ASE Romania and the BHI China. He is a co-editor of the Journal of Sustainable Real Estate (Taylor & Francis) and serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Property Research (Taylor & Francis).

Dr. Das has published 30+ research papers, 15 cases, and three books. His work has earned 12 international research awards, two teaching excellence awards, and two Best Paper Awards from the Journal of Real Estate Research (USA). Twice, he received the Practitioner Research Award from the American Real Estate Society. His research spans commercial real estate private equity, REITs, MBS, hotels, and sustainability. He holds a PhD in Real Estate (Georgia State University), a Master's in Land Development (Texas A&M University), and a bachelor's in architecture from IIT Roorkee.

From CREDAI National

Messages from the Leadership

President, CREDAI National

I am delighted and thrilled to announce the 3rd Cohort of the CREDAI–IIMA Real Estate Development Leadership (RED-L) Programme, a pioneering initiative that reflects CREDAI's continued commitment to the professional development and advancement of the real estate industry.

Through initiatives like RED-L, CREDAI strives to provide its members with meaningful learning opportunities that strengthen leadership capabilities, encourage innovation, and prepare them to navigate the evolving real estate landscape.

Designed in collaboration with the prestigious Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA), the RED-L Programme aims to nurture the current and next generation of leaders in real estate development. It brings together IIMA's renowned academic expertise and world-class learning environment with CREDAI's deep understanding of the sector's needs, offering a distinctive curriculum focused on leadership, strategic management, and innovative real estate development practices.

The programme will equip participants with the knowledge, tools, and frameworks needed to drive organizational growth, promote sustainability, and foster excellence across the industry.

I encourage all CREDAI members to seize this exceptional opportunity to enhance their capabilities, expand their professional networks, and contribute to the transformation of our sector. Together, let us invest in leadership, embrace innovation, and build a stronger, more progressive, and sustainable future for Indian real estate.

Mr. Shekhar G. PatelPresident, CREDAI National

President-Elect, CREDAI National

Our RED-L Programme at IIMA, India's premier business school, will equip you with cutting-edge insights and leadership skills to navigate the evolving real estate landscape. This is a unique opportunity to learn from the best, network with industry leaders, and take your business to the next level.

Mr. G Ram ReddyPresident-Elect, CREDAI National

CREDAI Leadership

Mr. Boman R Irani

Chairman, CREDAI National

Mr. Shekhar G. Patel

President, CREDAI National

Mr. G Ram Reddy

President-Elect, CREDAI National

Mr. Gaurav Gupta

Secretary, CREDAI National

Programme Structure

Programme at a Glance

IIMA offers a 21-day / 84-session programme for up to 40 CREDAI members. The module details are as follows:

Module	Duration	Dates	Accommodation
1	5 Days	Jan 27–31, 2027	Hotel Stay
2	5 Days	Feb 22–26, 2027	Hotel Stay
3	3 Days	Mar 15–17, 2027	Campus Rooms
4	3 Days	Apr 5–7, 2027	Campus Rooms
5	5 Days	May 3–7, 2027	Campus Rooms

Total Duration: 21 Days

A session typically runs for 75 minutes, and each day will have 4 sessions for on-campus modules. Some guest experts may be available for online interaction with participants in the IIMA classrooms.

₹8,50,000

Per Participant · Exclusive of GST

+ 18% GST

Programme fee is payable by the participant to CREDAI. The fee covers reading materials, training, food & lodging, and alumni membership, but does not include travel costs.

GST Number: 07AABCC4354M1ZJ

Bank: Kotak Mahindra Bank
Account No.: 5711315979
IFSC Code: KKBK0000172
Beneficiary: Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India
Bank Branch Address: G.F 3A-3J Ground Floor, Ambadeep Building, 14 KG Marg, New Delhi 110001

What You'll Learn

Programme Content

A curriculum that blends general management depth with real estate sector expertise — building on fundamentals before advancing to frontier topics.

Building Blocks

Real estate versus financial assets
A strategic view on financial reports
A big picture view of real estate economics
Ethics, legal compliance and reputation
Real estate valuation and pricing
Strategic leadership

Views from the Top

Land policy and issues
Making ESG and sustainability work for real estate
Crisis communication
Strategic negotiation
Specialized markets: Retail, Warehouse, Hotel

Tools, Techniques & Core

Professionalizing family business
Strategic debt finance in real estate
Mergers and acquisitions
Marketing strategy

Advanced Topics

Private equity landscape in real estate
Design thinking
Game theory
Private equity financing
Real estate market analysis
Real estate securitization
Monetary economics in real estate
Global trends in real estate
Global experiences in land value capture
REIT financing and securitization
Harnessing AI and ML marketing

How You'll Learn

Programme Pedagogy

The programme has an underlying theme of leadership and decision-making at multiple levels, including the highest. Discussions have a decision focus and action orientation across topics.

The Case Method

The programme includes classroom discussions on cases, as well as presentations from participants on real-life organizational issues. Faculty mix other methods such as games/simulations and exercises with the case method, which — involving real-life decision situations — remains the primary learning tool.

Cases are drawn from across the world and chosen to suit the sectoral context, learning objectives and conceptual frameworks of the programme.

Learning by Doing

IIMA firmly believes that management is learned and cannot be taught. The case method requires each participant to look at an issue holistically — as a business leader, not a functional specialist — thinking fast with limited information while sharpening analytical skills.

Faculty members view their role as facilitators, guides, and conductors, not as teachers.

Accommodation

Accommodation is arranged by IIMA, either on the IIMA campus or in empanelled hotels. Participants are expected to stay together to foster collaboration and to work on group assignments.

Who Will Teach You

Faculty

Primarily delivered by full-time IIMA faculty, with other sessions taught by international and domestic faculty — including leading academics, policy think tanks and industry leaders. Some international sessions are delivered online. Here is an indicative list of faculty members and their opinions:

"

The RED-L Programme will sharpen the edges of industry leadership for real estate developers.

Prof. Prashant Das — Programme Chair

Chairperson, Finance & Accounting Area · IIM Ahmedabad

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The RED-L Programme will help real estate developers think even bigger.

Prof. Abhiman Das

Chairperson, Economics Area · IIM Ahmedabad

"

Learning to lead in times of uncertainty is possibly the most valuable investment that can be made.

Prof. Neharika Vora

Professor, Organizational Behavior · IIM Ahmedabad

"

Our programme aims to build a fresh perspective on real estate marketing, situated in current practices such as the use of digital platforms and AI.

Prof. Arun Sreekumar

Professor, Marketing · IIM Ahmedabad

"

In the dynamic real estate market, Game Theory helps understand the behavior of the players and their use of strategic thinking better.

Prof. Pritha Dev

Professor, Economics · IIM Ahmedabad

"

Promoters of family businesses can address the barriers of resource constraints and psychology to put the company on a growth path.

Prof. Chitra Singla

Professor, Strategy · IIM Ahmedabad

"

Real estate is a cross-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary area of study.

Dr. Bing Wang

Senior Lecturer, MIT Sloan School of Management, Boston · Hoyt Institute for Real Estate, USA

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This is a long-awaited real estate programme from India's best B-School.

Prof. Vivek Sah

Professor, Real Estate · University of Denver, USA

Who Can Apply

Eligibility Criteria

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CREDAI Membership: Applicants must be in senior management roles with firms that are CREDAI members across India.
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Education: A diploma or degree in any stream.
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Experience: Minimum 5 years of work experience, preferably in real estate development.
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Language: As the medium of delivery is English, proficiency in the language is required.
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Preparatory Courses: Those with limited background in finance and quantitative areas may be asked to enroll in (online) preparatory courses offered by IIM Ahmedabad for modest, additional fees.

How to Get In

Admission Process

1

Submit Application

Fill the online form and furnish all necessary documents latest by 20th November 2026.
2

Eligibility Confirmation & Fee Payment

Once CREDAI confirms your eligibility for the programme, pay the programme fee to CREDAI.
3

CREDAI Nomination

CREDAI nominates eligible applicants to IIMA on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to seat availability.
4

IIMA Online Interview & Final Selection

IIMA makes the final selection of participants following an online interview process. If an applicant is not selected by IIMA, the programme fee paid will be refunded.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

The programme is for senior managers, promoters or proprietors in real estate development enterprises of India.

Participants will attend sessions at the IIM Ahmedabad campus. Some international visiting faculty may be present virtually. Classes will be spread over 21 days and divided into several modules of 4–6 days each. These modules will be spread over 4–6 months.

This is a certificate programme. IIMA will not provide any placement support for this programme.

The curriculum mixes general management subjects (finance, leadership, strategy, marketing, family-business, accounting, policy, technology, and economics, etc.) with subjects specific to the real estate sector (project financing, market analysis, valuation, REIT, private equity, debt financing, real estate strategy, etc.).

IIMA is a leader in case-method pedagogy that enhances the learning experience. The programme brings IIMA faculty, international faculty and industry leaders onto the same platform for in-depth discussions on topics relevant to the real estate sector. Beyond “what is”, the programme focuses substantially on “what could be” and “how to do it differently.”

Using real-life cases ensures that class discussions are closer to reality. The cases used in IIMA programmes are drawn from across the world and chosen to suit the client context, learning objectives and conceptual frameworks of the programme. The Institute firmly believes that management is learned and cannot be taught. The case method requires each participant to look at the issue holistically, not from a functional perspective, and to view the world as a business leader, not a functional specialist. It also forces participants to think fast with limited information, sharpening analytical skills while motivating them to make critical decisions. Faculty members view their role as facilitators, guides, and conductors, not as teachers.

Successful completion of the programme earns participants the status of IIMA alumni, so they can maintain the professional network even after the programme is completed. Each cohort of 30-odd participants is carefully selected.

Beyond business and real estate fundamentals, this programme also encapsulates policy debates that will help the industry optimize its policy activism in the future.

IIMA strives to accommodate participants on campus. However, due to room-availability issues during some days/modules, accommodation may be arranged at its empanelled hotels.

Participants need to attend all sessions of the programme to be eligible for certification. A minimum of 80% attendance is required, and absences must be approved by the instructor/programme chair. Maintaining professional conduct, following the IIMA rules and active, constructive engagement during class sessions are needed to earn the certificate.

This is an exclusive programme for CREDAI members. Aspiring participants send their applications to CREDAI. After shortlisting, CREDAI nominates a group of applicants to IIMA, and IIMA decides on the final list of participants after a round of online interviews.

Applicants must be in senior management roles with firms that are CREDAI members across India. As the medium of delivery is English, proficiency in the language is required. Applicants should have a diploma or degree in any stream and a minimum of 5 years of work experience, preferably in real estate development. Those with limited background in finance and quantitative areas may be asked to enroll in (online) preparatory courses offered by IIM Ahmedabad for modest, additional fees.

The Institute Behind RED-L

About IIMA

Founded 1961

IIM Ahmedabad

IIMA is a premier, global management institute at the forefront of promoting excellence in management education. In more than six decades of its existence, it has been acknowledged for its exemplary contributions to scholarship, practice and policy through distinctive teaching, high-quality research, nurturing future leaders, and supporting industry, government and social enterprise.

Founded as an innovative initiative by the Government, industry, and international academia, IIMA has a network of over 80 top international institutions and a presence in Dubai. It was the first Indian institution to receive international accreditation from EQUIS, and is placed first in the Government of India's NIRF India Rankings 2025. It is ranked 35th globally in the Financial Times Executive Education (Open) Rankings 2025; its two-year PGP is ranked 39th in the FT Masters in Management Ranking 2024, and its one-year MBA-PGPX 31st in the FT Global MBA Rankings 2025.

IIMA offers consultancy services and more than 200 curated executive education programmes in customised, blended, and open enrolment formats for business leaders, policymakers, industry professionals, academicians, government officials, armed forces personnel, agri-business and other niche sector specialists and entrepreneurs.

To know more about IIMA, visit www.iima.ac.in →

46K

Alumni

200+

Executive Programmes

#1

NIRF 2025

80+

International Partners

Real Estate Development Leadership