The Federal Institute of Hotel Management (FIHM), Noida celebrated a major milestone — its 5th Foundation Day — with a vibrant event titled “Symphony of Success” held at the Radisson Blu Dwarka on July 14, 2025. The celebration reflected not only the journey of FIHM so far but also its strong vision for the future of hospitality education in India.

The event brought together a powerful mix of hospitality professionals, academic leaders, peer partners, students, and families, creating an inspiring atmosphere of celebration, learning, and connection.

A Grand Beginning

The ceremony opened with the traditional lighting of the lamp, symbolizing wisdom and prosperity, followed by a soulful Saraswati Vandana performed by FIHM’s girl students — setting the perfect spiritual tone for the day.

Words that Inspire

Mr. Ajesh Gugnani, Chairman of FIHM, delivered a heartfelt welcome address. He highlighted the institute’s rapid growth and commitment to shaping skilled, industry-ready hospitality professionals.

A Star-Studded Panel Discussion

The highlight of the event was an engaging panel discussion moderated by Ms. Pooja Sharma, featuring some of the most influential names in hospitality:

• Chef Ajay Sood

• Ms. Sangeeta Ratra

• Chef Ashish Bhasin

• Chef Dr. Gautam Choudhry

• Chef Jai Kumar Bhasin

• Chef Pankaj Kumar Jha

• Ms. Parul Sachdeva

• Ms. Samita Halder

• Ms. Samiksha Aggarwal

• Ms. Lata Kapoor

• Mr. Vishal Gupta

• Mr. Surojit Mukherjee

• Ms. Anushka Mukherjee

Their insights into industry trends, training, and innovation offered valuable takeaways for aspiring professionals and students.

Celebrating Contributions

As part of the evening, several distinguished individuals were felicitated for their outstanding achievements and support toward the institute’s vision.

Music, Food, and Festivities

The celebration continued with a musical extravaganza, followed by a delicious culinary spread that added flavour and joy to the gathering. The event ended on a high note, with laughter, applause, and a collective sense of pride.

Five Years of Excellence

The 5th Foundation Day was more than just a celebration — it was a reaffirmation of FIHM Noida’s mission to deliver excellence in hospitality education. With its dynamic training programs and strong industry collaborations, the institute continues to shape future leaders of India’s ever-evolving hospitality sector.

IHG Hotels & Resorts has announced the signing of its third Garner hotel in India, further accelerating its expansion in the country’s high-growth midscale segment. The newly signed Garner Kutch in Gujarat is set to open in early 2026, following closely on the heels of earlier signings in Etawah and Kathua. This latest agreement, signed with Royal Buildspace LLP, underscores the brand’s growing appeal in emerging Indian markets.

Garner, IHG’s midscale conversion brand launched recently in the IMEA region, is tailored for today’s value-conscious travellers seeking consistent, high-quality stays. The brand focuses on comfort, convenience, and relaxed service, paired with flexible spaces and a sense of local charm. This makes it a perfect fit for India’s evolving hospitality landscape, where rising demand is reshaping expectations, particularly in secondary and tertiary markets.

The upcoming property in Kutch will be operated by Rosastays, a preferred third-party operator for IHG’s Garner brand in India. Rosastays is also set to operate the other two Garner properties in Etawah and Kathua, further cementing its collaborative role in scaling the brand across India. Garner Kutch will offer 40 well-designed rooms and a host of amenities including an all-day dining restaurant, swimming pool, spa, fitness centre, and event spaces. Located in one of Gujarat’s fastest-developing districts, the hotel is poised to attract both business and leisure travellers.

Sudeep Jain, Managing Director for South West Asia at IHG, noted that the rapid pace of Garner’s growth reflects strong trust from owners in IHG’s conversion strategy. He highlighted Kutch’s promising economic trajectory as a fitting location for a brand like Garner, which offers high returns through an asset-light model. Jain emphasized that with partners like Rosastays and Royal Buildspace LLP, IHG is successfully unlocking the potential of underrepresented hospitality markets in India.

Deepika Arora, Director at Rosastays, shared that their focus remains on providing experience-driven stays that resonate with modern guests. She described Garner Kutch as an attractive option for travellers looking for reliable, comfortable, and locally inspired hospitality. With this third partnership under the Garner brand, Rosastays continues to reinforce its shared mission with IHG to elevate midscale hospitality in India’s leisure destinations.

Echoing this optimism, Deepak Chandnani, Partner at Royal Buildspace LLP, called Garner a brand that offers both strong character and operational support. He expressed confidence that the hotel will deliver a dependable and distinct stay experience, ideally suited for Kutch’s growing tourism and industrial landscape.

With a population of over two million, Kutch is fast emerging as a hotspot for tourism and industry in Gujarat. Events like the Rann Utsav and developments such as the upcoming DP World Special Economic Zone, located just 6 km from the hotel site, are expected to drive a steady rise in travel demand. Garner Kutch is strategically timed to meet this increasing need for quality accommodations.

With this latest signing, IHG continues to strengthen its foothold in India. The group currently operates 50 hotels across six brands and has a robust pipeline of 63 new properties expected to open in the next few years. The arrival of Garner Kutch signals a new chapter in IHG’s commitment to delivering trusted midscale hospitality experiences in India’s rising regions.

Blinkit, the quick commerce arm of Zomato’s parent company Eternal, is poised for significant profitability gains as it transitions to an inventory-led model. Analysts suggest that this strategic shift is already showing signs of operational efficiency and could lead to Ebitda breakeven by March 2026. While the change is expected to tie up working capital for about 18 days, experts believe the move will streamline processes and improve margins over the coming quarters.

In the June quarter, Blinkit’s inventory-led model accounted for 3 per cent of its net order value (NOV), and its CEO Albinder Dhindsa indicated that near-term margins have stabilised. Analysts at Jefferies estimate the return on cash employed could exceed 40 per cent, thanks to better control over operations and order fulfillment. Brokerage firm Nuvama projected that Blinkit could gain as much as a 1 per cent margin expansion in the next two to three quarters as a result of this model.

The move to an inventory-led model mirrors the structure of traditional retailers like DMart and represents a shift from Blinkit’s earlier marketplace approach. Although this may affect the revenue reporting of B2C arm Hyperpure, which had served as Blinkit’s backend—the overall impact is viewed as a positive for Blinkit’s long-term health. According to Kotak Institutional Equities, the model change, along with a reduction in the proportion of new stores, should help drive profitability and balance costs.

Blinkit also continues to scale aggressively, adding 243 dark stores in the June quarter. It plans to open 2,000 stores by the end of 2025 and targets 3,000 by 2026. While analysts have trimmed projections for Zomato’s core food delivery segment due to a dip in consumer demand, they have upgraded Blinkit’s profitability outlook, recognizing it as a key growth engine for Eternal.

In the April-June quarter, Blinkit reported a 140 per cent year-on-year increase in gross order value to ₹11,821 crore, bringing its annualised run rate to approximately $5.5 billion. Net order value also surged by 127 per cent year-on-year and 25 per cent quarter-on-quarter to ₹9,203 crore. For the same period, Blinkit posted an adjusted operating loss of ₹162 crore, highlighting ongoing investments, but the growth in orders and revenue trajectory suggests a promising road to breakeven.

With this strategic model shift, Blinkit has not only emerged as a standout performer for Eternal’s Q1 results but also signaled a confident leap toward sustained profitability in India’s fast-evolving quick commerce sector.