The 13-acre project, being developed in phases, will combine age-responsive architecture, healthcare, hospitality and landscape, with the first 256 residences now under construction
Vera Vita Living LLP is making a INR 600-crore bet on India’s emerging senior living market, with its Hyderabad-based flagship Amaya set to combine premium residential real estate with hotel-style hospitality, preventive healthcare and professionally managed community services.
The company, founded by three friends Arudradev Rao, Dhruv Badruka and Tanay Saboo, is starting with a 13-acre development in Hyderabad, with the first phase comprising 256 residences across three acres. The first phase has an estimated project cost of around INR 250 crore, while the broader 13-acre development is planned in three phases and is expected to comprise 700–750 units.
Speaking exclusively to Architecture Update, the founders said Amaya is being designed as a fully integrated senior living community, with healthcare forming a key part of the proposition. Unlike conventional senior living projects that primarily focus on residences and amenities, the company plans to have a residential doctor and nursing team on site 24×7, supported by emergency response services and diagnostic facilities.
“We are absolutely certain that we wanted a residential doctor, which no other project has in senior living in India. The rationale behind that is the more familiar and the more comfortable you are with your medical care professionals, the difficult things that you would put on until they’re too late, you’ll be able to address much more quickly and live a much better life,” said Dhruv Badruka, Co-founder, Vera Vita Living LLP.
Vera Vita has partnered with a Bengaluru-based healthcare provider company, to operate the clinic at Amaya and provide senior-care expertise. The healthcare offering is expected to include a doctor, nursing support, emergency response and preventive healthcare interventions. The company is also in discussions with diagnostic providers and hospitals in Hyderabad, informed Badruka.
Healthcare, however, will be integrated into the overall proposition rather than positioned as a separate medical facility. The founders said the intention is to ensure that Amaya feels like a premium residential community rather than an institutional senior-care facility.
“We don’t want it to look like that. We want it to look like a home, but every small thing will be designed comfortably for seniors,” said Badruka.
This philosophy extends to the architecture and interiors. Amaya will incorporate anti-skid flooring, senior-friendly bathrooms, elevated seating, wider circulation spaces, wheelchair- and stretcher-friendly access and larger windows for natural light and ventilation. The design interventions are intended to remain largely invisible.
“If somebody’s on a wheelchair, they will be hidden with plants around that, so you don’t feel that you’re placed there only people in wheelchairs. The seating will be slightly elevated. The bathroom fixtures will be different. They’ll be arthritis friendly. So every small aspect of the building is going to be senior friendly,” said Tanay Saboo, Co-founder, Vera Vita Living LLP.
Five-star service apartment model
Vera Vita is positioning Amaya closer to a five-star serviced apartment model than a conventional retirement home. Daily housekeeping and laundry services will form part of the core package, while residents will have access to community dining, alfresco dining, cafés, a gym, physiotherapy, karaoke, cards and indoor games rooms, an outdoor play area and a pet park.
“You can absolutely consider it as a five-star serviced apartment because we will be providing daily housekeeping, laundry services as a part of the package. We are providing all meals, tea, coffee through the day, and you can also order à la carte whenever you require it. All of our meals are nutritionist approved,” said Saboo.
The core package is expected to cost approximately INR 25,000 per month for one resident and up to INR 50,000 for a couple, depending on the residence and occupancy. Food will be an additional package, priced at approximately INR 12,500 – INR15,000 per person per month for three meals a day along with tea and coffee.
The founders said the primary package will also include daily housekeeping, weekly bed and linen services, the residential doctor and nursing team, and a curated programme of activities ranging from yoga and physiotherapy to cards, movie screenings and sports screenings.
Eligibility criteria
Amaya is designed around an active senior living model rather than assisted living. At least one resident in each household must be aged 55 or above, while family members can also live with them.
“We want to maintain more of a decorum of like-minded people, a community in the space. If there are dependent children, there are other family members living with the people, that is acceptable as long as one person is 55-plus,” said Badruka.
The founders said the concept is intended for seniors who want to remain independent while staying connected to their families without becoming dependent on them for everyday household responsibilities.
“The idea is to provide people independence again – the independence to do something that they’ve never had the chance to do for so many years,” said Arudradev Rao, Co-founder, Vera Vita Living LLP.
The community will also incorporate facilities such as a library and co-working space, reflecting the founders’ view that today’s seniors may continue to work, manage investments, pursue hobbies and maintain active social lives.
Forest-edge location
Location is another major component of Amaya’s proposition. The development is situated close to Hyderabad’s Outer Ring Road and next to a 700-acre reserve forest, giving the project access to extensive greenery while remaining connected to the city and healthcare infrastructure.
“We wanted to be close to the city, but also be a little bit farther away so people can have more space and greenery. We are very fortunate to have a 700-acre reserve forest right next to our property. So our property touches a 700-acre reserve forest,” said Rao.
The founders believe that Hyderabad offers a balance that would be difficult to replicate in smaller locations – access to specialised medical care, an airport and urban infrastructure while still allowing for a lower-density, nature-led residential environment.
INR 250 crore first phase; expansion to follow
The first phase of Amaya, comprising 256 units, is expected to be completed and handed over by 2029. Construction has already commenced and the company said all necessary permissions and approvals have been secured.
The INR 250-crore first phase is being bootstrapped and self-funded by the promoters. The company is currently not actively pursuing external investment, preferring to retain control over the brand and operating model during its initial stage, informed Saboo.
“We currently wanted more control over the brand and the decisions that we make. With time, once we have a more matured model, we will then see whether we would like investment at that stage. But right now, we’ve completely bootstrapped and self-funded,” said Saboo.
While the company has a INR 600-crore investment roadmap for the broader development and its senior living expansion, the founders stressed that Amaya remains the immediate priority.
“Our first priority is completing Amaya. We should never delay Amaya because of any further expansion. I think that is a major injustice to our customers. So first we will complete Amaya, and when we have the complete confidence that this project is going to be completed to the way we want it, only then will we be looking at expansion,” said Badruka.
Vera Vita is already evaluating locations including Visakhapatnam, Coonoor, Chennai, Mysuru and markets in Kerala, but said expansion will follow only after the Hyderabad project is established.
“We are very picky on the kind of locations we go into,” said Rao, adding that the company would look for markets offering the right combination of healthcare, connectivity, nature and larger-format living.
Building a senior living platform
The company is also bringing in specialist partners across architecture, senior living and landscaping. Jeevin Consulting is its primary senior living partner, while Abin Design Studio is involved in architecture design.
Vera Vita said its approach is to build a hospitality infrastructure at the backend while ensuring that the customer-facing environment remains residential and lifestyle-oriented.
The founders believe this combination of low-density real estate, five-star-style services, embedded healthcare and community-led living can differentiate Amaya in an increasingly competitive senior living market.
“It’s not just an old age home. It’s a place that you come to discover things that you would never have done through the years,” said Rao.
With Amaya, Vera Vita is therefore seeking to move senior living away from an assistance-led retirement model towards a hospitality-driven lifestyle proposition, with healthcare and support built into the community while allowing residents to retain independence and choice.
Asmita.mukherjee@saffronsynergies.in
