Sekar James, the Principal of the firm, is the pre-eminent landscape architect in South India and has been so for the past 26 years. He first established the firm 'Black Rose' in 1974, a name that was synonymous with cutting edge designs, with the greatest attention to details and quality par excellence. He is solely responsible for establishing landscape architecture as a design form in its own right in South India.

'Black Rose' was dissolved in April 1993 and Sekar James now operates under the banner 'Master Plan', with offices in Chennai and Bangalore supported by associate offices in Hyderabad, Mumbai and Cochin.

'Master plan' is a family business with Sekar James' wife
Marlene James being the C.E.O and their son Zhayynn James having recently joined the company as the Associate landscape architect.