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!


Holiday Inn New Delhi Mayur Vihar Noida Appoints Achint Singh as Associate Director of Revenue

Holiday Inn New Delhi Mayur Vihar Noida Appoints Achint Singh as Associate Director of Revenue

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on June 24, 2026

Holiday Inn New Delhi Mayur Vihar Noida has announced the appointment of Achint Singh as its Associate Director of Revenue.

With more than 12 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Achint brings extensive expertise in revenue management, reservations, forecasting, distribution strategy and hotel operations. Over the years, he has built a strong professional track record with leading hospitality brands, including Marriott and The Lalit, among others.

His experience spans several key areas such as revenue management, demand forecasting, pricing strategy, OTA and channel management, reservations operations, budgeting, business planning and competitive benchmarking. He is also skilled in analysing market trends, optimising room inventory, maintaining rate parity and developing strategies that improve profitability and operational performance.

Throughout his career, Achint has led revenue and reservations teams, supported hotel pre-opening projects and managed large hotel portfolios. In his previous role, he was responsible for revenue strategy and forecasting across multiple hotels with a combined inventory of more than 750 rooms. He has also worked closely with sales, marketing, finance and front office teams to drive commercial performance.

In his new position, Achint will oversee the Revenue Management function at Holiday Inn New Delhi Mayur Vihar Noida. His responsibilities will include identifying revenue opportunities, strengthening the hotel's market position and supporting the achievement of its overall commercial goals.

Anurag Rai, General Manager at Holiday Inn New Delhi Mayur Vihar Noida said, "We are delighted to welcome Achint Singh to Holiday Inn New Delhi Mayur Vihar Noida. Achint brings with him a wealth of experience in revenue management, distribution strategy and commercial operations along with a proven track record of driving business performance across renowned hospitality brands. His strategic mindset, analytical expertise and collaborative leadership approach will play a key role in strengthening our revenue initiatives and supporting the hotel's growth objectives. We look forward to his valuable contributions as we continue to enhance our market position and deliver exceptional results."

Expressing his enthusiasm, Achint Singh said, "I am honored to join Holiday Inn New Delhi Mayur Vihar Noida and become part of a dynamic team committed to excellence and guest satisfaction. The hospitality industry continues to evolve rapidly, creating exciting opportunities to leverage data-driven strategies, innovation and market insights to optimize performance. I look forward to working closely with the hotel's leadership team to further strengthen revenue management practices, maximize commercial opportunities and contribute to the continued success and growth of the property".

Known for his analytical approach and collaborative leadership style, Achint is committed to driving business growth while fostering a culture of operational excellence, continuous learning and teamwork. His appointment further strengthens the hotel's leadership team as it continues to focus on delivering strong commercial performance and guest experiences.


Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai International Airport Appoints Girish Divekar as Director of Sales & Marketing

Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai International Airport Appoints Girish Divekar as Director of Sales & Marketing

By Hariharan U

Published on June 24, 2026

Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai International Airport has announced the appointment of Girish Divekar as Director of Sales & Marketing, marking a significant homecoming for the hospitality professional who previously held key leadership roles at the property.

Girish first joined the hotel as Associate Director of Sales in 2017 before being promoted to Director of Sales, a position he held until 2022. Having developed a deep understanding of the property's commercial landscape, market dynamics, and guest segments during his earlier tenure, he now returns to lead the hotel's sales and marketing function during an important phase of growth.

With more than 18 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Girish has built expertise across sales, revenue generation, business development, and commercial strategy. His experience spans multiple operational segments, including rooms, food and beverage, banqueting, and catering, giving him a comprehensive understanding of hotel performance and revenue optimization.

In his new role, he will focus on driving revenue growth, strengthening market share, enhancing customer engagement, and reinforcing the hotel's positioning within Mumbai's highly competitive hospitality market.

Speaking about his return, Girish said his passion for hospitality was inspired by the ability of hotels to create meaningful guest experiences and foster a sense of belonging. He described his return to Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai International Airport as a particularly meaningful milestone in his professional journey.

Prior to this appointment, Girish successfully led business development and revenue enhancement initiatives, contributing to a 30 percent increase in revenue through strategic occupancy and average daily rate (ADR) optimisation. He also played a key role in strengthening corporate business relationships and enhancing food and beverage positioning to drive new demand streams.

Looking ahead, Girish highlighted the growing opportunities within Mumbai's hospitality sector, driven by strong domestic travel demand, expanding MICE business, and evolving guest expectations. His focus will be on sustainable growth, strategic partnerships, and delivering exceptional guest experiences while building long-term value for guests, associates, and stakeholders.

With Girish Divekar returning to the leadership team, Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai International Airport aims to further strengthen its commercial performance and capitalize on the continued growth of one of India's most dynamic hospitality markets.


Alila Diwa Goa Appoints Takshila Chheda as Area Director – Digital Marketing

Alila Diwa Goa Appoints Takshila Chheda as Area Director – Digital Marketing

By Hariharan U

Published on June 24, 2026

Alila Diwa Goa has announced the appointment of Takshila Chheda as Area Director – Digital Marketing, strengthening Hyatt’s digital leadership across key markets in India.

Prior to this appointment, Takshila led digital marketing initiatives for North, East, and West India at Hyatt Hotels. In her expanded role, she will now oversee digital marketing efforts across Goa and Pune in addition to West and Central India, supporting the brand’s growth and visibility objectives across the region.

Takshila will be responsible for developing and executing digital and performance marketing strategies aimed at driving business growth, enhancing online presence, and strengthening customer engagement across Hyatt’s portfolio. Her expertise spans digital marketing, brand management, social media, public relations, and performance-driven campaigns.

Before joining Hyatt, Takshila served as Digital Marketing Strategist at the Jio World Centre under Reliance Industries, where she played a key role in the launch and digital promotion of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre. Her work focused on building visibility and audience engagement for one of India’s most significant cultural destinations.

She also held the position of Senior Manager – Digital Marketing at Tata Motors, contributing to the company’s digital communications and customer engagement initiatives across multiple campaigns and platforms.

Earlier in her career, Takshila gained extensive experience across leading communications agencies and the hospitality sector, working with a diverse portfolio of brands and developing expertise in strategic communications and digital storytelling.

Academically, she holds a Master of Science in Corporate Communications and Reputation Management from Alliance Manchester Business School in the United Kingdom, along with a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Media (Advertising) from University of Mumbai.

Her appointment reflects Hyatt’s continued investment in digital transformation and data-driven marketing as the hospitality industry increasingly focuses on personalised guest engagement and stronger online brand presence.

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