THE FABULOUS LIFE OF SUDHA REDDY

BELONGING TO ONE OF SOUTH INDIA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL FAMILIES, SUDHA REDDY HAS COME A LONG WAY — BALANCING LIFE AT HOME, WHILE SPEARHEADING PROJECTS AT MEIL AND HER PHILANTHROPIC EFFORTS IN THE SAME BREATH. THE STYLE, GLAMOUR AND JET-SET LIFESTYLE SHE LEADS HAS CEMENTED HER POSITION AS A MAJOR MOVER AND SHAKER IN HYDERABAD AND BEYOND. HELLO! TALKS TO THE LADY ABOUT HER JOURNEY AS A WIFE, MOM, PHILANTHROPIST AND CAREER WOMAN

- VISHWAVEER SINGH

Our photoshoot with Sudha Reddy takes place at her Greco-Roman-styled house in one of Hyderabad’s toniest neighbourhoods, Jubilee Hills. The mansion, situated on a lane popularly known as ‘Billionaire’s Row’ among the city’s hoi polloi, is replete with marble statues in the carefully manicured lawns that surround it. Fountains spout here and there, water bodies are scattered in picturesque corners of the expansive gardens, and an impressive set of stairs lead to the front door. There’s a lot of security around, as would be expected at the home of one of Hyderabad’s fastest growing infrastructure barons. MEIL was founded by uncle-nephew duo PP Reddy and Krishna Reddy in the late 80s to make small pipes for municipalities. Today, the conglomerate has interests in hydrocarbons, irrigation, general infrastructure, drinking water, power and buildings spread out over several countries, including Zambia, Tanzania, Kuwait and Bangladesh, apart from India.

Sudha, who is a director at MEIL, is the wife of Krishna Reddy and mother to their two sons Manas and Pranav, aged 16 and 18. She is also the head of the Sudha Reddy Foundation and involved in the company’s philanthropic interests, which are surprisingly wide-ranging. What’s brought Sudha to the fore, however, is her extreme humility and grounded nature. The almost childlike attitude and innocence the grand dame sports is a marvel, if anything, given that she has all the trappings of a billionaire. The Rolls Royces, the fleet of private jets, a retinue of bodyguards that would put a world leader’s entourage to shame. Then of course there was last year’s MeT Gala appearance, something that put Sudha on the global map, being the only Indian to attend the most coveted event of the year in 2021.