Prashant Sharma is a third generation scion of Powai's Sharma Family. He is the son of Gopal Sharma and grandson of Chandrabhan Sharma the illustrious Freedom Fighter who hailed from Jaipur and was responsible for giving shape to Powai as we see today. Prashant, now stays in Hiranandani Gardens.

Powai was once a princely estate belonging to Sir Muahammad Yusuf. In 1948 just after independence the Freedom Fighter Chandrabhan Sharma arrived in Bombay and happened to lease and subsequently buy Powai Estate in a strange twist of fate from Sir Yusuf for a paltry sum. Powai comprised of five villages : Saki, Kopri, Tirandaz, Powai and Paspauli then.

In the early fifties a portion of Powai was given to the Govt to set up Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). The then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, had personally come to finalise the area and on meeting C.B.Sharma motivated him to give the land at no cost in the name of Nation. At the same time a young engineer from US called Toubro had got a major contract in Mumbai and had leased vast tracts of land to L&T from Sharmas.
Powai's modernisation started with Sharma's construction Business in 1975 under the flagship of GHP Corp. Prashant Apts was the first modern Bldg to come up in Powai after IIT followed by the 13 storey Bhawani Tower.

Prashant Sharma the young, dynamic son of Gopal Sharma after his schooling from Kendriya Vidyalaya and Somaiya College entered the Family Construction Business. They have constructed some 18 lacs sq ft till date in the area of Powai and some 4 lacs sq ft is under construction. They have developed a major chunk and are soon coming up with a three star Hotel on the Saki Vihar Road.

Even the present fashionable Hiranandani Gardens is under original Lease from his late grandfather C. B. Sharma, facilitated by Maharashtra Govt. This is reflected in land records and sale agreements even today.
Prashant, proudly carries the lineage and heritage of his forefathers of combining Business, social work and benevolence. He is managing trustee with Manav Dharam Trust running Powai English High School and Durga Devi Charitable Trust running Gopal Sharma Memorial School in Powai.

"PLANET POWAI" asked him a few Questions:

Q1. What is the future of Powai considering its choked roads?
Ans : The future is great for Powai. It is emerging as one of the hottest spot in Mumbai falling on the Knowledge Corridor between Marol and Pune. It is only matter of time once the flyovers and 120 ft eight lane road is complete.

Q2. What made the Sharmas lease the land to Hiranandani?
Ans : Dr L.H. Hiranandani the father of present Builders was personally known to my grandfather as he is renowned doctor of international fame. Moreover, their sons had a grand vision to develop Powai as we see today.

Q3. Most people are ignorant about the role of your grandfather, C.B.Sharma as a Freedom Fighter and settling IIT in Powai. Are you not planning to have a book on this or a museum ?
Ans : Yes. We do have a Book on Chandrabhan Sharma in Hindi as a Biography. We are discussing in the Family to have a small book on him related to Powai, let's see.