GOVERNING COUNCIL

A Journey from Management Trainee at Oberoi Hotels to Managing Hotels and now giving back.

Having been in hotels for 29 years of which the last 13 years were as General Manager & Regional Head of Development of 5 star luxury hotels owned and operated by IHHR Hospitality Ltd. My last assignment was to manage the award winning Wellness Destination Ananda – in the Himalayas

Before this I played a key role in setting up, for the same company, under its own Ista brand of business hotels, properties in Bangalore, Pune and Hyderabad, which were subsequently taken over by Hyatt.

For Ista Hotels, Bangalore & Pune I was the pre-opening and opening General Manager. It was the first time the company was entering the markets in these cities.

The beginning of my hotel journey was from the Management Trainee Programme of Oberoi Hotels and Resorts in 1992. I then worked with them at various hotels, including properties recognised as members of The Leading Hotels of the World, until 2005 . My last assignment with Oberoi Hotels was as Executive Assistant Manager of The Oberoi, New Delhi.

Nurtured over 5000 hospitality professionals and created over a 1000 leaders.

Never in my wildest dreams, did I ever think of what you just read. It just happened, not by accident of course, but with small tiny steps that I took, some knowingly some by chance.

Having completed my Hotel Management from the prestigious IHM Mumbai in 1990, I spent the next 8 years learning the trade in several standalone outlets. From Specialty Restaurants and Discotheque to a Cake Shop Chain, I learned the finer nuances of the Food and Beverage business. The floor level experiences in all these outlets helped me make my classes engaging and interesting.

When I took up teaching in 1998, I got certified as a Hospitality Educator (CHE) and Food & Beverage Executive (CFBE), as I was eager to learn the methodology in training. Not only did it help me to excel technically but I also got invited to train staff at top Hotel brands in Mumbai.

Being empaneled as a Faculty with American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute, I got invited to train Faculty and Trainers across the country and also in neighboring Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Maldives. And all this happened whilst I was leading a Hotel Management College.

My journey into the hospitality world took several turns from Managing to Teaching to Training. It’s been one of life’s greatest rewards to see the success of a generation of my students in the Hotel Industry.