HospitalityNews Congratulates Manu Bhaker for Historic Bronze at Paris 2024 Olympics

HospitalityNews Congratulates Manu Bhaker for Historic Bronze at Paris 2024 Olympics

By Nishang Narayan

Published on July 30, 2024

HospitalityNews is thrilled to congratulate Manu Bhaker on her outstanding achievement at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Manu Bhaker made history by winning the bronze medal in the women’s 10m air pistol event, becoming the first Indian woman to win an Olympic shooting medal.

This victory is India’s fifth Olympic medal in shooting and the first medal in any sport at Paris 2024. Manu Bhaker’s score of 221.7 in the eight-woman final secured her place on the podium. Oh Ye Jin of the Republic of Korea clinched the gold medal with a new Olympic record of 243.2, followed by her compatriot Yeji Kim, who won silver with a score of 241.3.

Manu Bhaker's performance was exceptional. She started the final strongly, scoring 50.4 in the first series and holding her position among the top competitors throughout the event. Despite a few setbacks, she demonstrated resilience and skill, ultimately securing the bronze medal.

Reflecting on her achievement, Manu Bhaker said, "I just put all my effort into staying in the moment until the last second, just not giving up and keep trying harder and harder. You have to hold yourself together, because that’s what all the hard work is for. Although the competition was neck-and-neck and I lost silver by .1, I’m still very grateful to win bronze for my country.”

In the same event at Tokyo 2020, Manu Bhaker was well on course to qualify for the final but a pistol malfunction stole her six precious minutes and she fell just two points short of making the final.

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Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore won India’s first Olympic medal in shooting with a silver at Athens 2004 in the men’s double trap. Abhinav Bindra won India’s only gold medal in shooting in the men’s 10m air rifle at Beijing 2008. Gagan Narang (men’s 10m air rifle) and Vijay Kumar (men’s 25m rapid fire pistol) won silver and bronze, respectively, at the London 2012 Games.

On Saturday, Manu Bhaker stormed into the final of the women’s 10m air pistol event after finishing third in the qualifying round. She thus became the first Indian woman to make an Olympic shooting final in 20 years. Hungary’s Veronika Major, who topped the qualifying round, was the first to get eliminated in the final.

Manu Bhaker will also compete in the 10m air pistol mixed team event on Monday and the women’s 25m pistol event, scheduled to start on Friday. She is the only athlete from the 21-member Indian shooting team to participate in multiple individual events.

Earlier in the day, Ramita Jindal and Arjun Babuta qualified for the finals in the women’s 10m air rifle and the men's 10m air rifle events, respectively. The 20-year-old Ramita, who won bronze at the Asian Games last year, shot 631.5 to finish fifth in the qualifying round. The top eight shooters in the men’s and the women’s events qualified for the finals. South Korea’s Hyojin Ban topped the qualification round with the Games’ record of 634.5. Elavenial Valarivan, who finished 10th with a score of 630.7, started well but 103.8 in the sixth series saw her miss out on the qualification by a margin of 0.6 points.

In the men's 10m air rifle shooting event, Arjun Babuta scored 630.1 in the qualification series for seventh place. Sandeep Singh finished 12th with 629.3 points and missed out.

HospitalityNews is immensely proud of Manu Bhaker’s historic achievement and wishes her continued success in her future endeavors. Congratulations, Manu!


Crowne Plaza Greater Noida Appoints Nisshant Kumar and Rashmi Kamboj to Leadership Roles

Crowne Plaza Greater Noida Appoints Nisshant Kumar and Rashmi Kamboj to Leadership Roles

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on March 10, 2026

Crowne Plaza Greater Noida has announced two key appointments to its leadership team with Nisshant Kumar joining as Director of Operations and Rashmi Kamboj taking on the role of Director of Sales & Marketing. These appointments reflect the hotel’s focus on strengthening its leadership and supporting its long-term growth strategy.

Nisshant Kumar brings more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, with strong expertise in hotel operations, leadership, and commercial performance. Before joining Crowne Plaza Greater Noida, he was associated with Hyatt Regency Lucknow as Director of Sales & Marketing, where he contributed to strengthening the hotel’s market position and commercial performance.

He began his career as Team Leader, Rooms Division at Shangri-La Hotel, New Delhi and has since worked with several well-known hospitality brands. His professional journey includes roles with The Qutab Hotel New Delhi, Hilton Hotel, Crowne Plaza New Delhi Rohini, The Leela Gurugram, The Westin Resort and Spa, Radisson Blu New Delhi Dwarka, Pride Plaza Aerocity, and The Soaltee Kathmandu.

In his new role, Nisshant will oversee hotel operations with a focus on improving service standards, operational efficiency, and overall guest satisfaction.

Commenting on the appointment, Sharad K. Upadhyay, General Manager, Crowne Plaza Greater Noida, said, “We are delighted to welcome Nisshant to the leadership team at Crowne Plaza Greater Noida. His extensive industry experience, strong operational expertise, and strategic mindset will play a key role in further elevating the hotel’s service standards and operational excellence. We are confident that his leadership will significantly contribute to the continued growth and success of the property.”

Outside of work, Nisshant enjoys music and dancing, interests that reflect his energetic and vibrant personality.

The hotel has also appointed Rashmi Kamboj as Director of Sales & Marketing. With over 25 years of experience in hospitality sales and marketing, Rashmi brings deep industry knowledge and strong commercial expertise.

Before joining Crowne Plaza Greater Noida, she was associated with Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru Embassy Manyata Business Park as Director of Sales, where she played an important role in driving business growth and strengthening the brand’s market presence.

Rashmi began her hospitality career as a Hotel Operations Management Trainee at Taj Coromandel, Chennai. Over the years, she has worked with several leading organisations including Goa Marriott Resort, India Habitat Centre, Novotel Hyderabad International Convention Centre, KW Conferences Pvt. Ltd., and Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty along with Lulu Bolgatty International Convention Centre.

At Crowne Plaza Greater Noida, she will lead the hotel’s sales and marketing initiatives while focusing on strengthening market presence, building strategic partnerships, and driving revenue growth across key segments.

Sharing his thoughts on her appointment, Sharad K. Upadhyay said, “We are thrilled to welcome Rashmi to Crowne Plaza Greater Noida. Her extensive expertise in sales leadership, strong industry relationships, and strategic vision will be instrumental in strengthening our market presence and driving sustained business growth. We look forward to her valuable contributions in positioning the hotel as a preferred destination for business and leisure travellers.”


Courtyard by Marriott Pune Hinjewadi Appoints Mayur S. Modak as Chief Engineer

Courtyard by Marriott Pune Hinjewadi Appoints Mayur S. Modak as Chief Engineer

By Hariharan U

Published on March 9, 2026

Courtyard by Marriott Pune Hinjewadi has announced the appointment of Mayur S. Modak as its new Chief Engineer, a seasoned professional with over 15 years of hands-on experience spanning hospitality, infrastructure, malls, and the chemical industry.

In his new role, Mayur will take charge of the hotel's full engineering operations, from mechanical and electrical systems to HVAC, fire safety, and water treatment. His focus will span preventive maintenance, energy conservation, sustainability initiatives, regulatory compliance, and keeping the property's safety and operational standards firmly in place.

Mayur comes with a rich and varied career behind him. Most recently, he served as Chief Engineer at Fariyas Hotel Lonavala, and before that held the same position at Courtyard by Marriott Ahmedabad. His earlier stints include key engineering leadership roles at some well-regarded names in the industry, The Orchid Hotel Pune, Renaissance Lucknow Hotel, JW Marriott Hotel Pune, Le Méridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, and JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu. It's a career that spans cities, countries, and a wide range of property types, giving him a well-rounded perspective that's hard to replicate.

Over the course of his career, Mayur has led pre-opening projects, driven cost-optimisation strategies, strengthened preventive maintenance programmes, and pushed through meaningful energy-saving initiatives, all while keeping guest satisfaction and team development at the centre of his work. His approach aligns naturally with Marriott International's brand standards, making him a fitting addition to the Courtyard Pune Hinjewadi team.

The hotel looks forward to the expertise and energy Mayur brings to the role, and the contributions he'll make to keeping the property running at its very best


Pincode Bungalow Brings Chef Kunal Kapur’s UAE-Acclaimed Format Home to India

Pincode Bungalow Brings Chef Kunal Kapur’s UAE-Acclaimed Format Home to India

By Hariharan U

Published on March 4, 2026

After establishing a strong presence in the UAE, Pincode now marks its India debut with the launch of Pincode Bungalow, the brand’s first Indian flagship by Kunal Kapur. Choosing Vagator for its layered cultural character and design-forward appeal, the chef-led concept brings its geographically inspired dining philosophy back home.

At the heart of Pincode lies a menu structured around India’s postal codes, tracing flavours from Indore’s Sarafa Bazaar and Old Delhi’s Dilli-6 to Kolkata’s cabin cafés, Champaran’s sealed-handis and coastal Tamil kitchens. Alongside crowd favourites, the kitchen spotlights dishes such as Dubki Aloo with Bedmi Poori, Nizami Handi, Nadru Kofta and Champaran Meat, using techniques like dum cooking, dhungar smoking, charcoal grilling and fermentation. Personal family recipes from Chef Kunal and Corporate Chef Sadiya Khan add a layer of memory to the mapped culinary narrative.

Set within a restored Portuguese bungalow, the space unfolds in three distinct zones. Indiroom revisits Indian breakfast traditions in collaboration with Caarabi Coffee Roasters, while Baar-Bar, developed with mixologist Mukesh Patwal, presents nostalgic cocktails paired with a dedicated chakhna menu. The design preserves the home’s original character, blending whitewashed walls and timber rafters with subtle contemporary detailing.

With Pincode Bungalow, we wanted to create a flagship that truly belongs… Three moods, one home,” said Chef Kunal Kapur, Founder & Chef.

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