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After Taj replica, this MP educationist is now planting 4,000-tree musical garden as tribute to Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar

The garden is an extension of Anand Prakash Chouksey's Macro Vision Academy. Statues of Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar serve as symbols of harmony and togetherness.

5 min readBurhanpur (madhya Pradesh)Updated: Feb 25, 2026 09:01 PM IST

Anand Prakash Chouksey and the Taj Mahal replica that he built (Express photo by Anuradha Mascarenhas).

Anand Prakash Chouksey, the founder and chairman of Macro Vision Academy, lives by his signature greeting: ‘All is Well’. After capturing global headlines seven years ago by building a stunning, liveable replica of the Taj Mahal as a gift for his wife, Chouksey is now cultivating a new landmark: a 10-acre ‘Bageecha’ (garden) that blends horticulture with the soul of Indian music in Madhya Pradesh’s Burhanpur.

An educationist who describes himself as “a teacher for life, making the most of it”, Chouksey is planting 4,000 fruit trees, including mango, custard apple, and lemon. He also plans to install marble statues of legends Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar as a symbol of harmony and togetherness.

Constructed for Rs 30 crore, the garden is set to open on July 31 to commemorate the death anniversary of the legendary playback singer Mohammed Rafi. Chouksey, a huge fan of Rafi’s work, lists songs like “Tujh ko pukare mera pyaar,” “Baharo phool barsao,” “Mera mehboob,” and “O duniya ke rakhwale” among his personal favourites.

“The aim is to play the songs by the celebrated singers who have been among the most influential voices in Indian cinema. It is also to reflect the need to be united in music and harmony, beyond religious boundaries,” Chouksey said.

The ‘pluck and eat’ philosophy

Visitors can enjoy music throughout the day as they explore the garden. They are welcome to pick fruits of their choice and use the provided knife and salt to season and eat them on-site. “It is free of charge; however, they will not be allowed to take these fruits home,” he added.

The garden is just 100 meters from the 50-acre campus, which includes Chouksey’s Taj residence, the Academy’s CBSE school, hostels, and an advanced kitchen that prepares 25,000 scientifically curated, fresh meals daily. The campus also features the Josh Club, which has badminton and table tennis courts, a FIFA-certified football field, and an ‘All is Well’ hospital, and a state-of-the-art chronosphere. Additionally, there is an auditorium that can accommodate 3,000 people.

The FIFA-certified football field at the academy (Express photo by Anuradha Mascarenhas).

“Whenever we undertake anything, we apply deep thought and purpose. Every classroom, every piece of furniture on campus is designed to be different and unique. Our auditorium has a seating capacity of 3,000—something I have not seen in any university or college elsewhere,” Chouksey said.

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The campus attracts a steady flow of visitors who come to see the replica of the Taj Mahal. Kabir Chouksey, the Academy’s managing director, noted that attendance ranges from 2,500 to 3,000 visitors on days when parent-teacher meetings, cultural programmes, and exhibitions are held. “We host at least 20 such programmes each year,” he said.

An educationist who sets his own standard and is shaped by hard work and determination admits that he is his own source of strength. In his mid-50s, Chouksey points out that he is a man with zero ego. “The mission is to nurture visionary thinkers and future leaders who have the skills, courage and mindset to shape industries, uplift communities and make our nation proud,” Chouksey said.

His journey began way back in the early 1990s with Sonu Coaching Classes, preparing students for competitive examinations in Burhanpur. Over time, he established the residential school, which Apple recognised as a distinguished school in 2015 for continuous innovation in learning and teaching.

Anand Prakash Chouksey’s garden in Madhya Pradesh (Special arrangement)

Chronosphere: Where students learn ethical hacking, robotics

What seems to be a landmark enterprise at this school is a massive 20,000 sq ft Chronosphere innovation hub with 12 computer laboratories equipped with 500 of the latest iMac systems and a mini supercomputer worth Rs 1.5–2 crore. “Chronosphere is more than a programme. It is a launchpad to empower students with hands-on experience in technologies,” Kabir added.

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According to Chouksey, at their institution, advanced subjects are introduced from Class 6 to 12, including coding, language models, ethical hacking, and robotics. “From July this year, around 100–200 students will be earning Rs 1,000 per hour by working on international projects. We are associated with companies in the United States, including some ranked among the world’s top ten in computing,” Chouksey said.

And how does he encourage creativity among students? Chouksey has personally written 30 songs and compulsorily plays them at the hostel.

“Why make it compulsory?” he asked, smiling. “So that students eventually get so bored listening that they are inspired to create their own music.”

He also recalled students challenging him to write a rap, a Punjabi song and other random pieces. “One night at 11 pm, a student asked me to make a Marathi song like ‘Shantabai.’ By 11 am the next day, both audio and video were ready. ‘Here is the new Shantabai,’ I told them, adding, ‘now let us channel that same creativity into your studies’,” he added.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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