Chennais Amirta IIHM Appoints Abanindra Nath Biswal as Principal of Chengalpattu Campus

Chennais Amirta IIHM Appoints Abanindra Nath Biswal as Principal of Chengalpattu Campus

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on June 22, 2026

Chennais Amirta International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) has announced the appointment of Abanindra Nath Biswal as the Principal of its Chengalpattu Campus, strengthening the institution's leadership with a seasoned hospitality professional who brings more than three decades of industry experience.

Biswal has been part of the hotel industry since 1992 and has held several leadership positions across renowned hospitality brands in India and overseas. Prior to taking up his new role, he served as Executive Chef at Grande Bay Resort, Mahabalipuram, a position he held from May 2022. He also worked as Chef at Radisson Blu Chennai Egmore between January 2021 and May 2022.

Throughout his career, Biswal has built expertise in culinary operations, strategic planning, food and beverage management, quality compliance, and client servicing. His professional journey includes leadership roles at Mangifera Cuisines Chennai, Clarion Hotel Chennai, Holland America Line USA, Apollo Hospitals Chennai, Aloft Bangalore, Chancery Hotel Bangalore, Fortune Kences Hotel Tirupati, Hotel Swosti Plaza, The Park Hotel Kolkata, Star Cruise Singapore, and Taj Connemara Chennai.

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Known for his strong communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills, Biswal has worked in multicultural environments and is proficient in multiple languages. His experience spans hotel operations, large-scale banqueting, outdoor catering, menu development, quality management, and team leadership.

Over the years, he has successfully managed large hospitality operations, including hotels with extensive banquet facilities, specialty restaurants, and large outdoor catering events. His portfolio includes handling major events such as Aero Show 2007, IPL matches, and large-scale corporate functions catering to thousands of guests. He has also played a key role in introducing Italian, Western, and Mediterranean menus, standardising recipes, implementing operational procedures, and enhancing business performance through innovative food concepts.

Biswal's achievements extend beyond hotel operations. He has been actively involved in hospitality education and training, serving as an External Examiner for food production at Canon School of Catering and Hotel Management, Chennai, and I.H.M Bangalore for several years. He has also participated in food festivals, culinary competitions, and industry development programmes throughout his career.

Academically, Biswal is an alumnus of Tamil Nadu Open University and I.H.M. Bhubaneswar, Odisha. He was recognised as an institute topper during his hotel management studies and received the Best Cocktail Award at the 1st All India All Rounders Competition held at IHM Dadar, Mumbai. He has also completed Niveaux Un and Niveaux Deux at Alliance Francais Chennai.

In addition, he is a member of the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations (IFCA), which is affiliated with the World Association of Chefs.

With his extensive industry exposure and commitment to hospitality education, Abanindra Nath Biswal is expected to play a significant role in strengthening academic excellence and industry-oriented learning at the Chennais Amirta IIHM Chengalpattu Campus.


Pramod Kumar Joins Anya Hotel as Housekeeping Manager

Pramod Kumar Joins Anya Hotel as Housekeeping Manager

By Hariharan U

Published on November 13, 2026

Anya Hotel has appointed Pramod Kumar as its new Housekeeping Manager, strengthening the hotel's housekeeping leadership with an experienced hospitality professional. Kumar joined the property on November 11, 2026, bringing 19 years of experience in housekeeping operations across reputed hotel brands.

His professional experience includes associations with Radisson, Marriott, Hilton, ITC Hotels, The Park Hotels and Westin. Most recently, he was associated with Radisson Individuals in Gopalpur, Odisha.

Over the course of his career, Kumar has developed expertise in housekeeping operations management, budgeting, cost control, quality assurance, guest satisfaction, team leadership and departmental coordination. In his new role, he will be responsible for overseeing housekeeping operations and maintaining the hotel's standards of cleanliness, service quality and guest comfort.

Kumar also brings strong communication, problem-solving, teamwork and time-management skills to the position. His approach combines operational efficiency with a focus on maintaining quality and working collaboratively with colleagues across departments.

Outside work, he enjoys listening to music, practising yoga and swimming. His personal philosophy is summed up in a simple belief: “Work is worship.”

With his experience across multiple hospitality brands and a background in managing housekeeping functions, Kumar's appointment adds to Anya Hotel's focus on operational consistency and guest satisfaction.


Priyanka Gandhi Appointed Director of Guest Experiences at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar

Priyanka Gandhi Appointed Director of Guest Experiences at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on November 13, 2026

JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar has appointed Priyanka Gandhi as Director of Guest Experiences, strengthening its focus on personalised service, guest satisfaction, and associate development.

With over two decades of experience across hospitality, aviation, food service, and education, Priyanka brings a strong understanding of customer experience, service culture, and people development. Throughout her career, she has focused on improving service standards and helping teams create meaningful interactions with guests.

In her new role, Priyanka will oversee key areas such as personalisation, service excellence, service recovery, relationship building, and associate development. She will also lead learning and performance initiatives to maintain consistency across the guest journey while supporting the hotel's wider business objectives.

Before joining JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar, Priyanka held leadership positions across customer experience, learning, quality, and training at several organisations, including Foodlink F&B Holdings, Artium Academy, Air India, Go First, The St. Regis Mumbai, Jet Airways, and Kingfisher Airlines.

She is also a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, with expertise in instructional design, quality assurance, service audits, and process improvement. Her experience across different service sectors adds to her understanding of guest expectations and team performance.

Commenting on her appointment, Priyanka Gandhi said, "Every guest interaction is an opportunity to create a connection that goes beyond the service itself. I believe exceptional experiences begin with empowered people who have the right skills, mindset, and confidence to make a difference. I look forward to working with the team at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar to build on its strong culture of service and create experiences that guests remember long after their stay."

Priyanka's appointment further strengthens JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar's commitment to delivering thoughtful, personalised, and consistent guest experiences.


Hyatt Hyderabad Gachibowli Appoints Nisha Mundliya and Suresh Raju to Key Leadership Roles

Hyatt Hyderabad Gachibowli Appoints Nisha Mundliya and Suresh Raju to Key Leadership Roles

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on November 12, 2026

Hyatt Hyderabad Gachibowli has announced two leadership appointments, welcoming Nisha Mundliya as Director of Finance and Suresh Raju as Human Resources Manager. These appointments are aimed at strengthening the hotel's leadership team and supporting its focus on operational excellence and people development.

In her new role, Nisha Mundliya will oversee the hotel's financial operations, strategic planning, compliance, budgeting, forecasting and business performance initiatives. A Chartered Accountant with over eight years of experience across the hospitality and assurance sectors, she brings expertise in finance management, auditing, compliance, financial planning and operational excellence.

During her career, Nisha has worked with leading organisations such as Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Marriott International, KPMG and PwC. Before joining Hyatt Hyderabad Gachibowli, she served as Assistant Director of Finance at Hyatt Regency Jaipur, where she handled complex financial matters, strengthened the finance team's capabilities, improved reporting processes and supported the property's operations. She has also held finance leadership positions at Park Hyatt Hyderabad and Kochi Marriott Hotel.

Suresh Raju joins the hotel as Human Resources Manager and will lead its HR function, focusing on talent development, employee engagement, organisational culture and people practices that support associate wellbeing and business growth.

With over 16 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Suresh brings expertise in human resources management, talent acquisition, employee relations, learning and development, performance management and HR operations. He has held key positions with hospitality brands including Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Radisson Hotel Group, Starwood Hotels & Resorts and The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts.

Before this appointment, he served as Associate Director of Human Resources at The Leela Hyderabad, where he worked on talent initiatives, workplace culture and organisational growth.

Commenting on the appointments, Ruban Das, General Manager, Hyatt Hyderabad Gachibowli, said, "We are delighted to welcome Nisha and Suresh to Hyatt Hyderabad Gachibowli. Nisha's strong financial acumen and strategic approach, combined with Suresh's extensive experience in people leadership and talent development, will be instrumental in driving our continued growth and success. Their expertise, passion, and commitment to excellence align perfectly with Hyatt's purpose of caring for people so they can be their best. We look forward to their valuable contributions as we continue to elevate the guest and associate experience at Hyatt Hyderabad Gachibowli."

With these appointments, Hyatt Hyderabad Gachibowli looks to further strengthen its finance and human resources functions while continuing to focus on business performance, employee development and guest experience.

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