The GM Awards 2025, a first-of-its-kind initiative by ITP Media India, with Hotelier India as the official magazine partner, honoured the very people who make a hotel feel like a second home: the General Managers.
They are the silent sentinels of service. The first to arrive, the last to leave. And on this night, they finally had their moment in the spotlight.
More Than Just a Role – It’s a Calling
Being a GM isn’t about titles or office doors with nameplates. It’s about showing up; every day; with a strategy in one hand and empathy in the other. It’s about being the calm in the chaos, the one who turns check-in mishaps into five-star memories.
The GM Awards 2025 was crafted to celebrate that rare blend of leadership, resilience, and heart. From Young Trailblazers and Sustainability Champions to Boutique Innovators and Regional Excellence, every award recognised not just professional brilliance; but personal grit.
A Power-Packed Evening of Ideas and Emotion
The evening kicked off with a heartfelt welcome by Bibhor Srivastava, Managing Director – Events, ITP Media India. This was followed by an inspiring industry address by Anshul Gupta, Founder & CEO, Quick Clean Laundry Solutions. But the real magic unfolded during the Power Panel discussion, “India Rising – Opportunities & Outlook.”
Leaders like Abhishek Logani, Chief Business Officer – Hotels MakeMyTrip; Aryavir Kumar, Managing Director, The Clarks Hotels & Resorts; and Ratan Kant Sharma, Chairman and Managing Director, Triton Hotels and Resorts; came together in an honest, forward-looking conversation, moderated with warmth and wit by Srivastava himself.
There was insight. There was laughter. There was something rare: a room full of competitors, cheering for one another.
A Jury That Understood the Journey
The awards were judged by those who’ve walked the same corridors and made the same tough calls. Industry legends like Farhat Jamal, Chairman – Hotel Tourism and Hospitality Committee IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Ranvir Bhandari, President – Hospitality, Abhinandan Ventures; Rattan Keswani, Esteemed Deputy Managing Director, Lemon Tree Hotels and President, Trident Hotels; Jaideep Dang, Managing Director, Hotels & Hospitality Group, JLL; and Suresh Kumar, Founder, KUE Management Services Hospitality Mentor & Board Member; brought credibility, compassion, and context to every decision. These weren’t just winners; they were change-makers, picked by pioneers.
A Night Etched in Gold (and Gratitude)
The soulful notes of Milind Date’s bansuri washed over the ballroom, setting the tone for a night that was part award show, part homecoming. As each GM stepped up to receive their award, the applause didn’t feel polite; it felt personal. The GM Awards Ceremony was followed by a heartfelt vote of thanks and a joyful networking dinner, where toasts were raised not just to success, but to shared journeys and brighter futures.
Not Just an Award – A Movement Begins
This isn’t the end of something. It’s the start of something long overdue. The GM Awards is more than a night of glitz; it’s a tribute to the men and women who hold Indian hospitality together with vision, values, and unshakable resolve. It’s a reminder that behind every seamless stay, every glowing guest review, stands a GM who made it happen.
And for once, they stood at the center of the stage; where they truly belong.
