Nirupa Shankar is an Indian entrepreneur and athlete. She serves as joint managing director of Brigade Group,[1][2] a Bengaluru-based real estate company founded by her father, M. R. Jaishankar.[3] Prior to this role, she was the company's executive director. In 2016, she oversaw the launch of the Brigade Real Estate Accelerator Program (REAP), an initiative aimed at supporting tech startups in real estate.[4]
Shankar joined the family business, Brigade Group, a publicly traded real estate and property development firm founded in 1986 by her father, M. R. Jaishankar, who serves as its executive chairman.[3] She is responsible for overseeing operations related to hospitality, office, and retail properties, in addition to managing human resources, public relations, and innovation functions.[12] In 2022, she was appointed joint managing director,[13] while her sister, Pavitra Shankar, became the managing director.[14][15] Brigade Group operates in several cities, including Mangalore, Mysore, Chennai, Kochi, Hyderabad, Chikmagalur, and Ahmedabad.[16]
Shankar is also a trustee of the Brigade Foundation, a not-for-profit trust established by the Brigade Group.[15]
Shankar is a co-founder of Earth Fund, a SEBI-registered alternative investment fund (AIF) established in 2025 as a joint venture between Brigade Group and Gruhas. The fund invests in early-stage startups operating in proptech, construction technology, and sustainability sectors.[17][18]
Sport career
Following the birth of her first child, Nirupa Shankar started pursuing running in 2015 and joined a local joggers' club,[9] where she discovered the challenges of endurance races.[19][20]
Shankar has taken part in marathons and triathlon events. In 2021, she participated in a sprint (short-distance) triathlon in Croatia,[21] beginning her training six months after the birth of her second child.[9]
In March of the same year, she also joined the half Ironman in Dubai. Her training for the 2023 Ironman commenced in January of that year.[9]
In 2023, she competed in the annual Ironman triathlon in Copenhagen, Denmark, held in August.[22] Shankar was the only Indian female participant in this triathlon, which comprised a 3.8-kilometre swim, a 180-kilometre cycle ride, and a full marathon distance of 42.2 kilometers. In her first attempt at the Ironman, Shankar crossed the finish line in 14 hours, 47 minutes, and 41 seconds.[8]
Recognition
2016: Restaurant Owner of the Year at the Hospitality Leaders’ Industry Choice Awards[23]
2020: Her company, Brigade REAP, won the National Startup Awards in the Incubators & Accelerators category.[24]
2021: Received ‘ET 40 Under Forty:’ India Inc's Top Young Leaders 2021[6]
2023: Listed in the Power List 2023 by Hotelier India[25]
She received recognition from CNBC as a Young Turk.[5]
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