Shruti Shibulal’s passion for sustainable hospitality is evident in every aspect of the Tamara Coorg. However, what is impressive is the way she has tried to assimilate sustainability in various business practices of the property. While constructing the resort, its design and architecture was conceptualised to have little impact on the hill’s natural topography and ecosystems. That explains why its rooms are constructed on stilts – it minimises cutting of trees.
Shibulal also ensured that her property planted as much, if not more, timber than was used in the resort’s building. After starting operations, the Tamara Coorg has undertaken numerous environmental-friendly initiatives, including segregation of waste at source, appropriate disposal of non-biodegradable waste and in-house composting of organic wastes, recycling waste by using it for the estate’s cardamom plantation, etc. And this is just the tip of the iceberg – Shibulal is now exploring options to make Tamara Coorg self-reliant in power generation in the future. By taking such proactive steps in sustainability, is it any surprise that she has bagged the Editor’s Choice for the ‘Sustainability Person of the Year’?
