As entrepreneur Ashwani Khurana watches his creation ‘Karma Lakelands’ unfold in Gurugram, he says he couldn’t be prouder.
Allowing its guests a place to unwind right in the heart of one of India’s busiest hubs, a day at this paradise stretches long amidst the myriad of activities — beekeeping, watching eco bricks being made from plastic, golfing on the nine-hole course and more.
Now 63, Khurana, a Delhi University graduate, says that despite him joining his family business after studies, his passion always lay in nature.
He had his first stint with sustainable practices when he was 25 and planted hundreds of trees at his farmhouse in Delhi.
“I decided to plant 10,000 trees every year on different pieces of land in Delhi so that in a decade, I would meet a target of one lakh,” he says.
However, it was only in 2000 that Khurana decided to turn this passion project into a full-scale venture when his company was forced to shut down.
The very same year, he started Karma Lakelands on a 235-acre piece of purchased land in Gurugram.
He describes the eco-resort as “a dreamscape of perfect living that isn’t restrained by walls”.
Khurana says the nine-hole golf course is a flagship offering and has integrated several responsible practices.
A dedicated Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) on-site can treat 5,00,000 litres of sewage daily.
A walk away from the golf course will take you to the other side of the property where the nursery has been set up.
Spanning 25 acres, the nursery includes various seasonal produce, such as Chinese oranges, vegetables, fruits and herbs, that go into the food served at the Lakelands.
A tour around the area will introduce you to the intricacies of horticulture practised here. Furthermore, there is a cluster of four forests that dot the landscape.
The first is the sacred forest, which has trees like moringa and gular; the second is the bamboo forest; the third is the rewilding forest where traditional plants like khejri grow, and the fourth is the ficus forest that houses trees like peepal and banyan.
He adds that along with native wild grasses, the beekeeping initiative has been one of their pride.
“We decided to integrate beekeeping on site to increase pollination. The delicious honey that we get is just a side effect of this,” he shares.
About 15 to 20 percent of the total energy consumption of the resort is fulfilled by the 412 kW solar panels.
“When I started out, this was a passion project. Today it is the pride of my life,” says Khurana.