Women In Construction: Ujjwala Satish Haware

05 Mar 2020 CW Team

What were the challenges you faced when you took over as chairperson?

The thought of taking the company forward without my husband was a task in itself. Then, some JV partners showed their true colours; they went to the extent of filing criminal cases. But my staff always supported me, I took good legal advice and everything got settled. Also, the staff had lost all focus without my husband. I decided to go back for them and all our customers who had booked houses and were relying on us.

Did you face a gender bias?

Yes. But then women are always soft targets.

Did you have a mentor or support system?

My only support system has been my family. They held me strong in bad times. I also had the support of many staff members. And many of my husband’s friends - with a strong political background - stood by us.

What are your current responsibilities?

I look at overall operations. Apart from the design aspects, where my core interests lie, I look into accounts, loans, customer service, material purchase, brand building, etc. And as I also visit sites, I control a bit of the engineering part as well.

When she believed she could, she was already halfway there. Over eight years ago, Ujjwala Satish Haware had a different story to narrate. Born and brought up in Amravati near Nagpur, she decided to be an architect early as when she was in the seventh grade. And in 1997, she secured her Bachelors of Architecture degree from Amravati University. After marriage, she joined her husband Satish Haware’s company in Mumbai, Haware Engineers & Builders, as a director. However, in 2005, she lost her husband. “I knew what he dreamt for this company and to see all of it just vanish with him was not acceptable,” she says. So she stepped forward and took over the reins of the company as chairperson. Today, the company is thriving under her leadership. Moreover, Haware is an executive committee member of the Builders’ Association of Navi Mumbai and member, MCHI, Mumbai. Unassuming and candid, she shares her experiences and perspective in conversation with SHRIYAL SETHUMADHAVAN. What were the challenges you faced when you took over as chairperson? The thought of taking the company forward without my husband was a task in itself. Then, some JV partners showed their true colours; they went to the extent of filing criminal cases. But my staff always supported me, I took good legal advice and everything got settled. Also, the staff had lost all focus without my husband. I decided to go back for them and all our customers who had booked houses and were relying on us. Did you face a gender bias? Yes. But then women are always soft targets. Did you have a mentor or support system? My only support system has been my family. They held me strong in bad times. I also had the support of many staff members. And many of my husband’s friends - with a strong political background - stood by us. What are your current responsibilities? I look at overall operations. Apart from the design aspects, where my core interests lie, I look into accounts, loans, customer service, material purchase, brand building, etc. And as I also visit sites, I control a bit of the engineering part as well.

Infrastructure Transport

19 Sep 2025

Maharashtra Approves Rs 9.31 Bn for Bhandara–Gadchiroli Expressway

The Maharashtra cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has approved the revised design and funding of Rs 9.31 billion for the Bhandara–Gadchiroli controlled access expressway, a project expected to enhance connectivity across Vidarbha.The 94.2 km expressway, to be implemented by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), will cut the Bhandara–Gadchiroli distance by 23 km and reduce travel time to 1.5 hours. Of the sanctioned funds, Rs 5.34 billion has been earmarked for project work and Rs 3.96 billion for interest, with land acquisition to begin shortly.The..

Infrastructure Energy

19 Sep 2025

Waaree Energies to Offload 14.66% Stake in Indosolar via OFS

Waaree Energies, promoter of Indosolar, will sell up to 61 lakh equity shares, representing 14.66 per cent of Indosolar’s paid-up capital, through an Offer for Sale (OFS) on stock exchanges. The move is aimed at meeting SEBI’s minimum public shareholding (MPS) norms.The OFS will open for non-retail investors on September 18 (T-day), followed by retail investors on September 19 (T+1 day), through a dedicated trading window. Each share carries a face value of Rs 10.Antique Stock Broking has been appointed as the seller’s broker to manage the transaction, ensuring compliance and transparenc..

Infrastructure Energy

19 Sep 2025

Gujarat Adds 6,632 MW Renewable Capacity in 2025

Gujarat has added 6,632 MW of renewable energy capacity between April and August 2025, taking its total installed capacity to 39,275.7 MW.The surge is driven by large-scale solar parks, hybrid solar-wind projects, and enhanced transmission infrastructure, further cementing Gujarat’s position as a renewable energy leader.Officials said the expansion supports the state’s sustainable energy goals while strengthening grid reliability and ensuring long-term energy security.News source: Bharat Aawaz ..