Author: Asmita Mukherjee | Hyderabad

Over the past few years, Ranthambore has quietly evolved into a hub for experiential travel, it’s no longer just about safaris. Today, the destination is attracting not only wildlife enthusiasts, but also luxury travellers, wedding planners, and corporate groups seeking something beyond the conventional. Soumik Roy has recently taken over as General Manager of Juna Mahal Ranthambore, bringing a renewed focus to the property’s positioning and guest experience. In a conversation with Asmita Mukherjee, Roy shares his immediate priorities, his perspective on Ranthambore’s evolving market, and how Juna Mahal aims to stand out in an increasingly competitive landscape. What are…

India’s rapidly expanding service sector is transforming the way businesses define value, placing experiences, empathy, and human connection at the forefront. In this evolving landscape, hospitality is no longer confined to hotels and restaurants but is emerging as a core capability across industries. In an exclusive conversation with Asmita Mukherjee, Kanav Mata, Director & Regional Head (India, South Asia & Middle East) EHL Hospitality Business School, shares deep insights into how talent needs are being reshaped in an experience-driven economy. With India’s service sector expanding rapidly, how is it reshaping talent needs in hospitality and beyond? India right now feels…

In a world where luxury hospitality often feels predictable and impersonal, Priya Living started in 2013 in Fremont and Santa Clara as a senior-focused living concept, is taking a different route, one rooted in human connection. What began in the US as a deeply personal idea to create a meaningful living space for ageing parents has evolved into a fast-growing hospitality brand with global ambitions. Asmita Mukherjee spoke with California-based hospitality entrepreneur and hotelier Arun Paul, Founder and CEO of Priya Living to understand the concept’s idea and how they are challenging conventional hotel experiences, building multi-generational communities, and redefining what…

Asmita Mukherjee | Hyderabad The Indian hospitality sector is broadening beyond established metros; Eastern India is beginning to draw sharper investor and developer attention, driven by rising domestic travel and a widening demand-supply gap. Emerging leisure and eco-tourism destinations are seeing increased traction, even as the region remains relatively underpenetrated compared to other parts of the country. Soumya Sengupta, Founder of Wormwood Hotels, is building a regionally focused brand to capture early-mover advantage in these evolving markets. Launched in 2025, the company is positioning itself to tap into what it sees as a structural growth opportunity in the East. “Eastern…

Asmita Mukherjee | Hyderabad India’s restaurant industry is at an inflection point. Rising input costs, tighter margins and the pressure to scale are forcing operators to rethink how they run their businesses. What was once a largely intuition-led sector is steadily moving toward data-backed decision-making, where visibility and control can make the difference between profit and leakage. For Shivaprakash Mogali, Founder of Digitory, the shift is both urgent and overdue. “At Digitory, we’ve seen that most restaurants are still operating reactively, identifying issues only after they’ve already impacted margins. We’re helping operators shift to predictive decision-making by connecting data across…

As the Hotel Investment Conference South Asia (HICSA) steps into its third decade, it does so at a time when South Asia’s hospitality sector is being reshaped by shifting capital flows, strong domestic demand, and a more discerning investment climate. Over the years, HICSA has evolved into a key industry platform, convening owners, investors, operators, and policymakers to drive conversations that influence real-world decisions and long-term strategy. For Manav Thadani, Chairman of Hotelivate, this phase marks a transition toward more disciplined, execution-led growth, where adaptability and market relevance are critical. As the sector navigates uncertainty alongside opportunity, HICSA continues to…

Goa’s hospitality sector is navigating a recalibration. The beach destination is seeing an increase in softer booking windows, sharper value comparisons and experience-first travel decisions. Vinayak Patnekar, General Manager of Fairfield by Marriott Goa Benaulim, brings over two decades of operational experience within Marriott International to the table. Having worked across brands, cities and market cycles, Patnekar represents a generation of leaders shaped by both scale and structure.In an interaction with Asmita Mukherjee, he speaks about sustaining culture in high-churn environments, why hiring for attitude outweighs hiring for pedigree, and how technology is quietly transforming back-of-house efficiency while enabling sharper guest personalisation. You’ve spent over…

Over the years, HOPE has emerged as one of the region’s most influential hospitality summits, reflecting the rapid evolution of Indian hospitality. Now, HVS ANAROCK HOPE 2026 is set to be more than a conference; it aims to be a defining platform that brings together capital, leadership, innovation, and global voices to shape the industry’s next chapter. In an exclusive interaction with Asmita Mukherjee Mandeep S. Lamba, President & CEO (South Asia), HVS ANAROCK, shares how HOPE 2026 is designed to elevate ambition, sharpen strategy, and position India at the center of the global hospitality conversation. What is the vision…

As Hyderabad cements its position as one of India’s most dynamic business hubs, the hospitality landscape around the Financial District is evolving just as rapidly. At the center of this growth story stands Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel, led by General Manager Subhankar Bose, whose career spans over two decades across leading brands such as Taj, Accor and Marriott. Having worked across diverse geographies within India, Bose brings a sharp understanding of regional markets, operational resilience and people-centric leadership. Under his able leadership, Sheraton Hyderabad is not only capitalising on the city’s corporate and long-stay demand but also strategically expanding its local…

Founded in 2011, RollsKing has emerged as a strong pan-India QSR brand with a diversified network of cloud kitchens and high-street formats. With operations spanning over fifteen cities and a clear focus on the ‘Grab and Go’ consumer, the brand is now gearing up for its next growth phase. In this interview, Arjun Toor, Co-founder, RollsKing, discusses the company’s plans to add over one hundred new outlets in the next two years, its shift towards a predominantly company-owned model, upcoming investments, and how RollsKing aims to strengthen its position in both metro and tier-II markets while scaling with discipline and…