The General Managers in hotels are largely men, but women are making their mark, and brilliantly so, in this hard-core male terrain.
They are breaking the mould by successfully stepping into men’s shoes.
As a tribute to International Women’s Day, we put on our cover some gritty General Managers from leading hotels across the country, who spill the beans on their passion for hospitality and what it takes to thrive in a male domain (in the articles that follow).
In the meantime, here’s presenting the steely ladies – India’s top women hotel General Managers (in the order of their alphabetical names).
Amandeep Kaur, General Manager, ITC Gardenia, Bengaluru
Born in North India, New Delhi was Amandeep Kaur’s base where she did a course at the Institute of Hotel Management on her father’s recommendation. She received several job opportunities when she passed out and she admits that she made the right decision in choosing ITC Hotels over all others.
Neha Kapoor, General Manager, Hyatt Place Vadodara
Neha Kapoor’s journey spans over two decades, giving her a wealth of experiences that she draws from in her position as the General Manager at Hyatt Place Vadodara. After working as a Front Office Associate for a brief period, she switched gears and entered the Sales and Marketing field, which led to her current leadership role.
Nikita Ramchandani, General Manager, JW Marriott Mumbai, Juhu
Nikita Ramchandani is responsible for leading all the operational aspects of the hotel and driving the departments to achieve maximum growth and deliver exceptional guest experiences – this includes leading capital projects and guest service procedures, managing the hotel’s profitability and ensuring that the hotel’s long-term strategic goals are met. A graduate from Les Roches School of Hotel Management, Switzerland, and with over 22 years of experience in the industry, Nikita’s astute business and leadership skills have seen her take strides across her career graph with different challenges and roles across the hospitality landscape.
Priyanka Bhatt Arora, General Manager, Lemon Tree Premier, City Centre, Gurugram
With over two decades of experience in the hotel industry, Priyanka Bhatt Arora has been the Hotel General Manager at Lemon Tree Premier City Centre since August 2022. Having started her career with Le Meridien, New Delhi, she has worked with ITC Maurya A Luxury Collection Hotel, New Delhi, The Park, New Delhi, Radisson Hotel Noida, Sandal Suites, operated by Lemon Tree Hotels, Noida and Lemon Tree Premier, City Centre, Gurugram. With roles like Club Floor Manager, Duty Manager, Senior Duty Manager, Assistant Front Office Manager, Front Office Manager and Accommodation Manager, she has done it all.
Radhika Tata, General Manager, ibis Hyderabad Hitec City
Radhika Tata has 22 years of experience, with 12 years in the travel and tourism trade and 10 years in hotel operations, sales, revenue, catering sales, and events management. A core business development and operational excellence strategist and analyst, she is a transformational and influential leader who can adapt changes quickly and develop new leaders.
Ranjeeta Mohapatra, Resort Manager, Mayfair Himalayan Spa Resort, Kalimpong
Ranjeeta Mohapatra began her career as a Guest Relations Manager for Sterling Resorts in Puri and Club Mahindra in Goa. After a brief career break to manage family responsibilities, she re-entered the workforce, joining the newly established Vedic Village Spa Resort in Kolkata as Manager, Front Office. Subsequently, she took on the responsibility of managing spa operations along with housekeeping for three Mayfair properties (Kalimpong, Darjeeling, and Gangtok).
Ratna Malhotra, General Manager, The Oberoi Vanyavilas, Ranthambhore
As the General Manager of The Oberoi Vanyavilas in Ranthambhore, Ratna Malhotra brings with her over three decades of rich experience in the hospitality industry. Her journey began with humble roots, inspired by the elegance of The Oberoi Grand in Calcutta. Despite initial setbacks, including an unsuccessful application to the Oberoi School of Hotel Management, she started as a Guest Relations Executive at The Oberoi Grand.
Sonali Chauhan, General Manager, The Connaught, IHCL SeleQtions
As an alumna of one of India’s most reputed colleges, National Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), Sonali Chauhan’s career spans 21 years with an experience across international and domestic hotel brands. She has worked on opening hotels such as Hyatt Regency Kolkata, Taj Santacruz and now The Connaught, IHCL SeleQtions. She recently attended the Executive Programe in Strategy and Organisation at the Stanford University, Graduate School of Business.
Swapna Nair, General Manager, Ramada Plaza, Chennai
Swapna Nair has been the General Manager at Ramada Plaza in Chennai since October 2022 and comes with over 17 years of experience in the hospitality industry, having worked with renowned brands in UK, Dubai, and India. As a strategic business leader, she is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the operation to ensure guest and employee satisfaction, talent management, financial performance, and sales and revenue generation.
Swapna Subba, General Manager, Radisson Udaipur
Swapna Subba is a passionate hotelier with over 19 years of experience who possesses a deep ability to enhance the guest experience, build relationships with both internal and external stakeholders, and guide the team to optimize revenues, profitability, and growth innovatively. She is well-versed with world-class procedures and best practices in the hospitality industry through her overseas stint with luxury resorts in Maldives and her experience with different brands of Accor hotels (Novotel, Mercure and ibis). Swapna is an alumnus of IHM-Kolkata and holds a postgraduate degree and MBA in International Hospitality from ISBM Hyderabad. She has a passion for gardening and watching movies.
