Forty-four-year-old Navdeep Sardana moved to Gurugram in 2010 with aspirations and uncertainty. Reflecting on his journey, Sardana says he has witnessed numerous others arrive with similar hopes and build successful lives through perseverance and determination.
Navdeep Sardana (HT Photo)
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Today, he views Gurugram as more than just a city—it’s a land of opportunity that inspires ambition and rewards those willing to work hard, regardless of their background.
“I come from a village in Haryana’s Bhiwani, where education is deeply valued and securing a government job is considered the ultimate achievement. Like many youngsters from my village, I studied literature, completed my master’s degree and even aspired to join the civil services. However, after working for six months in a multinational company, I realised I wanted to create something of my own, where I could use my education, ideas and energy to build a lasting legacy,” says Sardana.
When he moved to Gurugram, the city was expanding rapidly. Thousands of people were arriving from villages, towns and different states in search of opportunities. “I felt that people were not just looking for houses, they wanted communities where they could feel connected, comfortable and secure,” he says. Sardana says that thought inspired his entrepreneurial journey as a real estate developer. “My dream was to contribute to creating homes that combined thoughtful design, quality interiors and hospitality-driven living. I believed that buying a home should be more than a transaction: it should be an experience built on trust and long-term commitment. At a time when many promises remained unfulfilled, I wanted reliability and transparency to become the foundation of my work,” he said.
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Sardana said, “There is not even a single thing I don’t like about Gurugram. This city gave me an opportunity to dream, grow and create.”
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Sardana said, “There is not even a single thing I don’t like about Gurugram. This city gave me an opportunity to dream, grow and create.”
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Navdeep Sardana is a resident of Golf Course Road and founder of Whiteland Corporation
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest.
Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents.
Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure.
Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing.
Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity.
Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations.
Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling.
A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.
