It began with a heartfelt conversation between Adarsh Narahari, Founder and Managing Director of Primus Living, and his grandmother. She talked about the wonderful retirement homes she had seen in the USA and asked why nothing similar existed in India for her and her nine sisters. That simple question inspired Adarsh to imagine communities where seniors don’t just grow old but live happily and thrive.
“The idea that moving to a senior community means ‘sending parents away’ is outdated. It’s not abandonment—it’s empowerment,” Narahari says, stressing that while seniors value independence, their children want the assurance of safety and happiness. Our campus breaks stereotypes: instead of loneliness, there’s karaoke, camaraderie, and a strong sense of belonging.
In his conversation with Teena Jain Kaushal, Narahari shared how modern senior living facilities are transforming the experience of aging in India.
How do you assess the current demand for senior living in India?
India is aging fast: the 60-plus cohort will jump from 10 crore in 2011 to 23 crore by 2036—about 15 percent of the total population. Together with smaller nuclear families, longer life-spans, and greater financial confidence among retirees, is creating sustained demand for purpose-built senior communities. Today’s seniors aren’t looking for a “retirement home”; they want vibrant, secure neighbourhoods where they can keep learning, moving, and socialising.
How is a senior living facility different from traditional real estate?
At Primus, we see ourselves as lifestyle enablers that slow down the aging process and not as developers . The real estate component gives us the foundation to design homes optimised for safety and comfort, while our hospitality-driven services ensure day-to-day living is effortless and enriching. From curated meal plans and wellness programs to concierge services and community events, our operations are designed with empathy and precision to deliver a seamless living experience. We also leverage technology and robust processes to ensure operational scalability and consistency.
What is the average cost of buying a home in one of your senior living communities?
Our homes typically start from Rs 65 lakh and can go upwards depending on the city, configuration, and amenities. We offer the buy models and cater to different financial preferences. Importantly, every home is designed with age-friendly features such as preventive healthcare technology, safe flooring, safe bathrooms, zero-thresholds, and panic buttons, ensuring safety without compromising on aesthetics.
Beyond the initial investment, residents pay a monthly service fee that covers housekeeping & laundry, security & maintenance, curated meals, fitness & wellness programs, medical care and on-campus healthcare support
The monthly fee varies by community and level of service but is designed to offer value, peace of mind, and comprehensive support for everyday living. However the costs typically mimic what an typical elder would spend in their own house currently.
How is returns on investment versus conventional real estate?
Senior living offers both emotional and financial ROI. While capital appreciation will mimic traditional real estate the premiums for completed projects are much higher due to lack of supply. However, rental returns are close to 5% compared to the residential rental of 2% as a lot of elders getting healthy pension but may be unwilling to make a large capital outlay. Further they rent long-term (approx. 10 years) offers steady rental income for investors. Moreover, the real return lies in peace of mind, community belonging, and dignified aging—values traditional real estate cannot offer.
Key differences between building for younger buyers and designing for seniors…
Senior living requires a fundamentally different design philosophy. For seniors, accessibility, safety, and comfort are paramount. This means wider doorways, no-step entries, handrails, medical alert systems, preventive healthcare tech and softer lighting. Unlike traditional apartments, our communities also have built-in wellness infrastructure—like physiotherapy zones, community kitchens, medical services, and multipurpose areas. It’s not just about homes—it’s about lifestyle and purpose. Essentially, we look at our common areas like a family would look a their living and dining rooms and we look at the apartment/units like bedrooms. We cater to a community of lie minded folks who want a stress-free life
What services come bundled in a Primus community?
Our services are crafted around five pillars:
· Healthcare: On-campus doctors, emergency response systems, physiotherapy, teleconsultations
· Hospitality: Chef-prepared meals, laundry, housekeeping, concierge assistance
· Wellness: Fitness sessions, yoga, diet planning, mental health support
· Community Engagement: Events, hobby groups, intergenerational activities
· Technology Support: Digital concierge services, Preventive heathcare, safety tech etc
These are provided as part of our managed service model, ensuring seniors enjoy a worry-free lifestyle.
What drives your location strategy?
We choose cities based on senior population clusters, healthcare ecosystem maturity, and family proximity trends. Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai are among our current strongholds. Each project is tailored for the region’s lifestyle—be it cuisine, language support, or cultural programming. We work with local partners and conduct in-depth research to design communities that feel familiar yet aspirational.
What are your expansion plans?
We currently have six projects at various stages: Bengaluru: Primus Reflection, Ohana, Darpan, Sangama, Chennai: Primus Zion, Kolkata: Primus Ganges and Mumbai: Primus@Thane
We are expanding to Pune, Hyderabad in the next phase and have many projects lines up in our current cities, aiming to create a pan-India network of senior communities integrated with Marzi’s digital platform.
How should a family plan financially if they expect to move in 5–10 years?
Treat it like a three-part SIP: (1) capital for the home, (2) a corpus that covers at least 10 years of service fees indexed at 6% inflation, (3) a separate healthcare fund (Mediclaim + emergency buffer). Starting a retirement-focused SIP of even Rs 25,000 a month when one is 40 years can bridge most of that gap by the time you are 60.
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