Pradeep Shetty Elected as FHRAI President: New Leadership for India's Hospitality Industry

Pradeep Shetty Elected as FHRAI President: New Leadership for India's Hospitality Industry

By Author

Published on October 3, 2023

The Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) is proud to announce its new President, Mr. Pradeep Shetty, Director of Maharaja Hotels, Mumbai. Elected unanimously, Mr. Shetty will officially assume office on January 1, 2024. His extensive experience and dedication to the industry make him the ideal candidate for this crucial role.

Having previously served as Vice President and actively contributed to FHRAI for over a decade, Mr. Shetty is also the current President of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI). In his statement, Mr. Shetty outlined several key priorities for his tenure as FHRAI President.

A Vision for the Future

Mr. Shetty expressed a commitment to engage with the government to create a more favorable regulatory framework for the hospitality sector. He highlighted the pressing need for the sector to receive infrastructure status, which would facilitate long-term loans at competitive interest rates, ultimately accelerating sector growth.

Furthermore, Mr. Shetty emphasized the importance of additional stimulus packages and incentives from the government. These are essential to enable the sector to achieve its ambitious goal of welcoming 100 million international tourists by 2047. This includes favorable GST (Goods and Services Tax) policies and measures to ease doing business in the hospitality sector.

Beyond these priorities, Mr. Shetty also addressed challenges such as music copyright issues, service charges, and concerns related to anti-competitive activities by major tech companies.

New Office Bearers

During the FHRAI's 67th Annual General Meeting held on September 28, 2023, new office bearers were elected. Mr. Surendra Kumar Jaiswal, Mr. K Nagaraju, and Mr. T S Walia were elected as Vice Presidents from different regional associations. Additionally, Mr. DVS Somaraju was elected as Honorary Treasurer, and Mr. Nirav Gandhi as Honorary Secretary. Mr. Sudesh Kumar Poddar and Mr. Amarvir Singh will serve as Joint Honorary Secretaries of the Federation.

Mr. Shetty's election represents a new chapter for FHRAI, and his commitment to the industry's growth and success is evident. Together with the new office bearers, he aims to lead the organization toward a future of excellence, innovation, and growth in India's hospitality sector.


Holiday Inn Gurugram Sector 90 Appoints Milan Rawal as Human Resources Manager

Holiday Inn Gurugram Sector 90 Appoints Milan Rawal as Human Resources Manager

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on June 12, 2026

Holiday Inn Gurugram Sector 90 has announced the appointment of Milan Rawal as its new Human Resources Manager. Bringing over nine years of experience in hospitality human resources, Milan joins the hotel with a strong background in people management and HR operations.

Over the course of her career, she has worked with several hospitality organisations including Foodlink F&B Holdings Ltd., Hyatt Regency Gurgaon, Hyatt Place Hampi and Goan Recreation Clubs Pvt. Ltd., gaining experience across various aspects of human resource management.

In her new role, Milan will be responsible for overseeing the hotel's overall HR function. Her responsibilities will include talent acquisition, payroll management, employee relations, workforce planning and budgeting, employee engagement initiatives, learning and development programmes, as well as ensuring compliance with HR policies and labour laws.

Milan holds a PGDM from MIT University and a Master of Commerce degree from S.S. Dempo College of Commerce & Economics.

Outside her professional commitments, she enjoys playing badminton, travelling and spending time with her family.

Commenting on the appointment, Rishabh Jain, General Manager of Holiday Inn Gurugram Sector 90, said, "We are delighted to welcome Milan to our leadership team. Her strong HR expertise and people-centric approach will play a key role in strengthening our workplace culture and supporting the hotel's continued growth."

Sharing her thoughts on joining the hotel, Milan Rawal said, "I am excited to join Holiday Inn Gurugram Sector 90 and look forward to contributing towards building a positive and engaging work environment while supporting the team's growth and success."


Astera Ventures Appoints Prashant Hoskoté as Non-Executive Director

Astera Ventures Appoints Prashant Hoskoté as Non-Executive Director

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on June 12, 2026

Astera Ventures, an India-based advisory firm that supports high-growth emerging companies through strategic consulting and investments, has announced the appointment of Prashant Hoskoté as a Non-Executive Director on its Board.

With over 35 years of experience in customer experience and quality leadership, Hoskoté joins the board at a key stage in Astera Ventures' growth journey. His appointment is expected to further strengthen the company's leadership and governance as it continues to expand its role in the global hospitality sector.

Astera Ventures is a key shareholder in Sunday Proptech, a hospitality owning and operating platform focused on developing and scaling hotels under PRISM, the parent company of OYO, Townhouse, SUNDAY and other hospitality brands worldwide. Sunday Proptech currently owns and operates 38 hotels across the United States and is actively pursuing expansion opportunities across the US, India and Europe. The platform brings together hospitality operations, real estate partnerships and brand-led growth to deliver quality guest experiences at scale.

Speaking about his new role, Prashant Hoskoté said, "I look forward to enabling strong governance and providing the right steer as Astera Ventures grows its portfolio and its key investment Sunday Proptech builds its next phase of growth in global hospitality. Astera Ventures plays an important role in this journey, and I am excited to contribute at the board level."

Hoskoté currently serves as the CEO of PH Factor, a board advisory and organisational excellence consulting practice based in Delhi NCR. Prior to this, he was President – Global Engagements at Striking Ideas. Over the course of his career, he has held several leadership positions, including Senior Director – Quality, Service Excellence, and Innovation at Max India Group, along with key roles at Mashreq Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and the Taj Group of Hotels.

He started his professional journey with Qimpro Consultants, the Indian affiliate of Juran Institute Inc., USA.

Beyond his corporate leadership experience, Hoskoté has contributed significantly to the quality and excellence ecosystem. He has served on the National Board for Quality Promotion at the Quality Council of India, held the position of Vice-Chair of ASQ's Quality Management Division – Global (Asia and Australia), and chaired ASQ's Organizational Excellence Technical Committee. In 2014, he was recognised among the "50 Most Talented Quality Professionals" at the World Quality Congress. He is also a published author and an international speaker.


Holiday Inn Gurugram Sector 90 Appoints Milan Rawal as Human Resources Manager

Holiday Inn Gurugram Sector 90 Appoints Milan Rawal as Human Resources Manager

By Hariharan U

Published on June 11, 2026

Holiday Inn Gurugram Sector 90 has announced the appointment of Milan Rawal as its new Human Resources Manager.

Milan brings over nine years of progressive experience in hospitality human resources, having worked with reputed organisations such as Foodlink F&B Holdings Ltd., Hyatt Regency Gurgaon, Hyatt Place Hampi, and Goan Recreation Clubs Pvt. Ltd.

In her new role, she will oversee the hotel’s entire human resources function, including talent acquisition, payroll management, employee relations, workforce planning and budgeting, employee engagement, learning and development, as well as compliance with HR policies and labour laws.

Academically, she holds a PGDM from MIT University and a Master of Commerce degree from S.S. Dempo College of Commerce & Economics.

Speaking on the appointment, Rishabh Jain, General Manager of Holiday Inn Gurugram Sector 90, said, “We are delighted to welcome Milan to our leadership team. Her strong HR expertise and people-centric approach will play a key role in strengthening our workplace culture and supporting the hotel’s continued growth.”

Milan Rawal shared, “I am excited to join Holiday Inn Gurugram Sector 90 and look forward to contributing towards building a positive and engaging work environment while supporting the team’s growth and success.”

Outside of work, she enjoys playing badminton, travelling, and spending time with her family

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