Lucknow: Lucknow, long celebrated as the “City of Nawabs,” has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past decade. From being seen as a cultural hub steeped in history, it is now emerging as a Tier-2 powerhouse with world-class infrastructure, real estate development, and sports facilities. At the heart of this transformation lies the Ekana Group, a Lucknow-based company that has quickly become synonymous with ambition and scale.
Founded in 2014, Ekana Group has spearheaded landmark projects in sports infrastructure, real estate, hospitality, healthcare, and technology. Its flagship development, Ekana Sportz City, is widely seen as the symbol of this new era—an integrated township that places Lucknow firmly on the international sports and business map.
Origins and Foundation: A Vision Takes Root
Ekana Group’s story began in 2014 with the incorporation of Ekana Sportz City Private Limited. Registered with the Registrar of Companies, Kanpur, the firm was launched with an authorized share capital of ₹100 crore and a paid-up capital of over ₹87 crore.
From the start, the group envisioned transforming Lucknow into a modern city that combined heritage charm with global infrastructure standards. The company’s promoters—led by Uday Sinha, supported by directors including Sanjay Sinha, Vijay Sinha, Alluri Raghu Varma, Vertika Agarwal, Dinesh Pandey, and Naveena Singh—saw the potential in Uttar Pradesh’s push for public-private partnerships (PPPs).
Their idea: create India’s first sports-inspired integrated township, blending world-class sports infrastructure with residential, commercial, and hospitality offerings. That concept would take shape as Ekana Sportz City.
Ekana Sportz City: A Game-Changing Project
Spread across 137 acres in Gomti Nagar Extension, Ekana Sportz City became the group’s flagship project. Conceptualized as a “sports-first” community, it is split between a 71-acre sports infrastructure zone and a 66-acre real estate development zone.
The Stadium That Put Lucknow on the Map
At the heart of Sportz City is the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, one of India’s most modern cricket arenas. With a seating capacity of 50,000, it rivals stadiums in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore, finally giving Uttar Pradesh a world-class venue for international cricket.
The stadium has already hosted IPL matches and international fixtures, bringing Lucknow into the cricketing spotlight. For a city passionate about the game, the venue has become both a cultural landmark and an economic driver, pulling in fans, sponsors, and global attention.
Beyond Cricket: A Sports Hub
Ekana Sportz City isn’t limited to cricket. The project also includes an indoor multi-sport stadium, football grounds, tennis courts, and a members-only lifestyle club. The vision is clear—make Lucknow a city where sports infrastructure nurtures talent and lifestyle simultaneously.
Real Estate and Hospitality
The other half of Sportz City is about living, working, and leisure. Projects like Ekana Ontario and Ekana Antalya offer premium 3- and 4-BHK apartments, penthouses, and sky villas, equipped with modern amenities such as gyms, swimming pools, and landscaped gardens.
Meanwhile, commercial developments—including Ekana Mall and Ekana Business Centre—aim to meet the city’s rising demand for retail and office spaces, fueled by Lucknow’s booming economy. Planned hotels and a future hospital complete the ecosystem, ensuring that residents and visitors find everything within one integrated zone.
Expanding the Portfolio: Key Projects
Ekana Mall
Currently under construction, Ekana Mall is designed as an entertainment and retail destination with 337 retail shops and office spaces. Inspired by Italian architecture, it promises gondola rides, a multiplex, a food court, and a kids’ play zone. Located strategically near Shaheed Path and Sultanpur Road, it is expected to attract heavy footfall and assure strong investor returns.
Ekana Business Centre
Launched in 2025, the Ekana Business Centre seeks to position Lucknow as a commercial hotspot. Targeting startups, consultants, and NRIs, it offers retail shops and studios with projected yields of 6–10% and capital appreciation of 25–30%. Its proximity to the cricket stadium ensures a ready ecosystem of visitors and professionals.
Healthcare Collaboration with Fortis
In a landmark move, Ekana signed an operations and management agreement with Fortis Healthcare in August 2025 to develop a 550-bed super-specialty hospital in Gomti Nagar. This greenfield hospital is expected to be a Centre of Excellence in tertiary care, providing advanced medical services to Uttar Pradesh and beyond.
Promoter Uday Sinha described the partnership as a way to bring world-class healthcare closer to Lucknow, strengthening both Ekana’s diversification and the city’s health infrastructure.
Ekana Ventures and Ekana Technologies
Beyond real estate and sports, Ekana has diversified through Ekana Ventures Private Limited (established in 2019), which focuses on diversified business growth and reported steady revenues in 2022.
Meanwhile, Ekana Technologies offers IT solutions such as mobile app development, digital marketing, and web design—evidence of the group’s intent to keep pace with digital trends.
Strategic Growth Drivers
1. Public-Private Partnership Advantage
Ekana’s collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh government was crucial in securing land and support for Sportz City. The PPP model reduced risks and enabled fast-track development.
2. Prime Location
Projects located in Gomti Nagar Extension enjoy connectivity to Lucknow’s metro, IT parks, airport, and highways like Shaheed Path. This positioning makes Ekana’s projects attractive for both residents and investors.
3. Lucknow’s Real Estate Boom
With 48% growth in property sales in Q1 2025, Lucknow has become one of India’s fastest-growing real estate markets. Rising disposable incomes and IT sector expansion fuel demand for luxury housing, offices, and retail—areas Ekana directly caters to.
4. Diversification
From residential towers and malls to hospitals and IT services, Ekana’s diversified portfolio spreads risk and taps into multiple revenue streams.
5. Commitment to Quality and Sustainability
The group emphasizes engineering-driven construction, eco-friendly technologies, and world-class facilities—aligning with global sustainability and consumer expectations.
Financial Strength and Market Positioning
Ekana’s paid-up capital of over ₹87 crore reflects its ability to take on large-scale projects. Its commercial projects promise annual yields of 6–10% and capital appreciation of 25–30%, making them lucrative for investors, including NRIs.
Ekana Ventures’s reported CAGR of 25% in 2022 underlines steady growth beyond real estate. Meanwhile, the group’s projects benefit from the economic upswing in Tier-2 cities like Lucknow, where affordability and growth potential attract both domestic and global capital.
Challenges and Opportunities
Challenges
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Construction Delays: As with most mega projects, Ekana faces the risk of delays in projects like Ekana Mall.
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Competition: Developers like DLF and Eldeco are also active in Lucknow, raising the stakes.
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Market Risks: Real estate cycles and changing consumer behavior could affect demand.
Opportunities
- International Sports: Hosting global cricket matches enhances Lucknow’s profile and boosts surrounding businesses.
- Healthcare Growth: The Fortis hospital project positions Ekana to tap into India’s growing medical infrastructure needs.
- Rising Demand: With Lucknow’s economy booming, demand for luxury housing, retail, and office space is set to grow exponentially.
Transforming Lucknow: Ekana’s Impact
Sports Culture
The cricket stadium has become a symbol of pride, putting Lucknow on the international sports map and inspiring young athletes.
Economic Growth
Projects like Ekana Mall and Business Centre create thousands of jobs, attract investments, and stimulate retail and tourism.
Urban Development
Ekana’s integrated approach—combining sports, housing, healthcare, and commercial zones—aligns with Lucknow’s vision of becoming a modern smart city.
Hospitality and Tourism
With wedding venues, corporate event spaces, and entertainment hubs, Ekana projects expand Lucknow’s appeal as both a tourist and business destination.
The Road Ahead: Future Outlook
Ekana’s trajectory looks promising, with several milestones expected in the coming years:
- Completion of Ekana Mall, set to redefine shopping and leisure in the city.
- Fortis Super-Specialty Hospital, which will position Lucknow as a healthcare hub.
- Expansion of residential and commercial portfolios to keep pace with growing demand.
- Sustainability initiatives like green building practices, which will strengthen Ekana’s reputation as a forward-looking developer.
In just over a decade, the Ekana Group has gone from being a regional entrant to a flagbearer of Lucknow’s transformation. Its visionary approach, centered on the Ekana Sportz City, has blended sports, real estate, hospitality, and now healthcare into a model of integrated urban growth.
By leveraging public-private partnerships, focusing on quality, and diversifying its portfolio, Ekana has helped position Lucknow as not just a heritage city but also a modern, thriving, and globally recognized Tier-2 metropolis.
As cranes continue to dot the skyline around Gomti Nagar Extension, Ekana Group’s story remains emblematic of a larger Indian narrative—where Tier-2 cities are leading the charge toward the future of urban development.
