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!


Toscano Restaurant Appoints Chef Dinesh Parshad Bhatt as Cluster Chef

Toscano Restaurant Appoints Chef Dinesh Parshad Bhatt as Cluster Chef

By Hariharan U

Published on February 6, 2026

Toscano Restaurant has announced the appointment of Chef Dinesh Parshad Bhatt as its Cluster Chef, a move aimed at strengthening culinary leadership, consistency, and innovation across its restaurant portfolio.

 Chef Bhatt brings with him an extensive career spanning luxury hotels, fine-dining restaurants, and high-volume culinary operations in both India and international markets. Prior to joining Toscano, he served as Chef de Cuisine at Elements by Rosetta in Varca, Goa, and as Head Chef at Patang Re-Evolve Restaurant in Ahmedabad, where he led contemporary concepts and premium dining operations. His international exposure includes roles at Black Spoon Restaurant in Riyadh and multiple TDIC properties in Abu Dhabi, including Caramel Restaurant and Lounge, BOA Steakhouse, and Fanr at Saadiyat Island. His culinary expertise spans Modern Indian cuisine, Indian curries and tandoor, Italian fine dining, molecular gastronomy, American cuisine, tapas concepts, banquets, formal sit-down dinners, outdoor catering, and multi-ethnic buffets, reflecting a balance of tradition and modern global techniques.

In his role as Cluster Chef, Chef Bhatt will oversee pre-opening operations, kitchen setup and maintenance coordination, central kitchen production, supplier management, menu engineering with detailed food costing, staff training, audit compliance, and strict adherence to hygiene and food safety standards.

 Speaking on his appointment, Chef Dinesh Parshad Bhatt said, "I am honoured to join Toscano Restaurant as Cluster Chef. Toscano has built a strong reputation for quality and consistency, and I look forward to working closely with the team to create innovative menus, strengthen operational systems, and deliver memorable dining experiences that exceed guest expectations while maintaining the highest standards of hygiene and culinary excellence." With this appointment, Toscano Restaurant continues to reinforce its commitment to culinary innovation, operational discipline, and delivering world-class dining experiences across its locations.


Novotel Goa Candolim and Novotel Goa Resort & Spa Appoint Amit Sangwan as Cluster General Manager

Novotel Goa Candolim and Novotel Goa Resort & Spa Appoint Amit Sangwan as Cluster General Manager

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on February 6, 2026

Novotel has announced the appointment of Mr. Amit Sangwan as the Cluster General Manager of Novotel Goa Candolim and Novotel Goa Resort & Spa. In this role, he will oversee the overall leadership and performance of both properties, further strengthening their presence in one of India’s most popular leisure destinations.

A seasoned hospitality professional with over two decades of experience, Amit brings strong expertise in operational excellence, guest experience enhancement, and people-focused leadership. His career spans luxury, upper-upscale, and business hotel segments, where he has led large teams and managed complex operations across multiple brands.

Prior to this appointment, Amit served as General Manager at Novotel Ahmedabad since May 2023. During his tenure, he successfully drove strong commercial results, improved operational efficiencies, and maintained consistently high levels of guest satisfaction, contributing to the hotel’s overall growth and performance.

Amit is widely recognised within the industry for his leadership and achievements. His accolades include being named among the Top 5 General Managers of Business Hotels at the Hospitality Horizon Awards 2024, Gujarat’s Best General Manager by the CMO Asia Awards, and Most Admired GM of the Year at the International Hospitality & Travel Awards. Over the years, he has also led pre-opening projects, destination-led resorts, and diverse food and beverage portfolios.

In his new position, Amit will be responsible for shaping the strategic direction of both Novotel Goa properties. His focus will be on enhancing brand positioning, elevating guest experiences, and driving sustainable growth across leisure, MICE, and food and beverage segments.

Commenting on his appointment, Amit said, “I am delighted to take on this new role at Novotel Goa Candolim and Novotel Goa Resort & Spa. Goa is a vibrant leisure destination, and I look forward to collaborating with the teams to build on the hotels’ strong foundations, deliver memorable guest experiences, and achieve long-term success through innovation, collaboration, and service excellence.”


Hyatt Pune Appoints Glen D’Souza as New General Manager

Hyatt Pune Appoints Glen D’Souza as New General Manager

By Hariharan U

Published on February 5, 2026

Hyatt Pune has appointed Glen D’Souza as its new General Manager, effective January 4, 2026. With more than two decades of experience in the global hospitality industry, D’Souza brings a strong background in hotel pre-openings, operations, and brand-led growth across key international markets.

In his new role, D’Souza will focus on strengthening Hyatt Pune’s positioning among business and leisure travellers, while also enhancing its reputation as a preferred destination for dining, social gatherings, and experiential hospitality. His leadership approach will centre on intuitive guest experiences, operational excellence, and team engagement.

Prior to joining Hyatt Pune, D’Souza served as the Pre-Opening General Manager at Hyatt Centric Ballygunge Kolkata, where he played a pivotal role in establishing the hotel as a prominent lifestyle destination. Under his leadership, the property earned multiple industry recognitions in 2025, with its dining venues gaining strong local traction.

Before Hyatt, D’Souza spent over 20 years with Marriott International, holding senior leadership roles across Hong Kong, Doha, and Abu Dhabi. His experience spans seven hotel pre-openings and six brands across luxury, premium, extended stay, and select service segments.

Commenting on his appointment, D’Souza said he looks forward to building on Hyatt Pune’s strengths and creating meaningful guest connections in a dynamic and growing market.

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