Indian Women in Hospitality Successfully Hosts Inspiring Knowledge Session at the World of Hospitality Expo in Mumbai

Anchored in Love: festivities and celebrations onboard
December 20, 2024

Indian Women in Hospitality Successfully Hosts Inspiring Knowledge Session at the World of Hospitality Expo in Mumbai

The Indian Women in Hospitality (IWH) recently organized a knowledge session aimed at empowering and celebrating women’s contributions to the hospitality sector. The event, held on 22 January 2025, featured a lineup of distinguished speakers and engaging discussions designed to create inspiration, facilitate knowledge sharing, mentorship and promote networking among participants.

Program Highlights

The program commenced with a warm welcome from Laxmi Todiwan, Founder of IWH, in front of a packed house, setting the tone for the engaging session that followed. A fireside chat with hospitality trailblazer Ms. Shirin Batliwala provided attendees with deep insights into leadership in hospitality, focusing on the challenges and triumphs faced by professionals in the industry. It was an absolute delight to listen to her, as Ms. Batliwala is an institution in herself.

A thought-provoking panel discussion titled ‘Glass Ceilings to Glass Slippers’ moderated by Lebana Penkar, featured industry stalwarts Sonia Sharma, Maitreyee Lovalekar, Vidhi Vikram, and Debarati Roy. They shared their experiences and perspectives on various topics, including industry trends, career opportunities, mentorship, breaking barriers and the importance of diversity in the hospitality field.

Another highlight of the event was the introduction of the book ‘Illuminating Her Way’ by the very inspirational Janet Serrao Agarwal, which showcases the incredible journeys of women who were trendsetters, broke barriers and created benchmarks in the hospitality industry. Copies of the book were given to attendees, providing them with the opportunity to take home a piece of inspiration.

Speaker Profiles: The program attracted some of the best professionals from the industry.

Shirin Batliwala: A true pioneer in India’s hospitality industry, Ms. Batliwala boasts over 40 transformative years with the Taj Group, where she has consistently broken barriers and set benchmarks for women in the field. She commenced her journey at the Institute of Hotel Management, Mumbai, and made history as the first woman to become the Food and Beverage Manager at a five-star hotel in India. Her illustrious career continued as she became the first female General Manager of a large hotel in the country, taking the helm at prestigious establishments including the Taj Bengal, Taj President, and the Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai. Throughout her tenure, Ms. Shirin Batliwala has undertaken significant leadership roles within the Indian Hotels Co. Ltd. She served as Area Director for Goa & South India, where she was instrumental in driving growth and operational excellence within the region. As Vice President of Business Development, she played a crucial role in strategic initiatives that enhanced the brand’s visibility and market reach.

Janet Agarwal: A highly accomplished Chartered Accountant and Company Secretary, Janet has over 17 years of corporate experience, including her current role as CFO at a fintech company in Mumbai. She is passionate about inspiring others through her story and has been instrumental in various leadership roles across the hospitality sector. She also spearheads many social projects and raises funds for charity. She exemplifies beauty with brains, truly a woman of substance who has won beauty pageants and supported social causes.

Lebana Penkar: Is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in human resources and training, currently serving as the Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Arrivae since April 2022. Prior to this role, Lebana was the Chief Human Resources Officer at Foodlink Services (India) Private Limited and has held several key positions, including Vice President of Human Resources at Adfactors PR and Chief People Officer at Foodhall-India within the Future Group.

Sonia Sharma: With over 13 years of experience in human resources, Sonia brings exceptional expertise in driving engagement and enhancing gender diversity in hospitality. Her innovative strategies have significantly influenced HR practices across various hotel brands, establishing a positive work culture that nurtures growth. Currently, she is the Director of Human Resources at Hilton International Airport, Mumbai.

Maitreyee Lovalekar: As a senior instructor at the prestigious Institute of Hotel Management Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition (IHM), Mumbai, she shares her vast expertise with the next generation of hospitality leaders. Her extensive background in operations, management, and training has equipped her with the skills to create impactful learning experiences that inspire and motivate students.

Vidhi Vikram: An esteemed hotelier, she has been influential in the growth of the VITS Kamats Group as the Group Director and holds an honorary Doctorate in Hospitality from Sorbonne University. Her dedication to training and service excellence positions her as a key player in uplifting industry standards.

Debarati Roy: With over a decade of experience in luxury hospitality sales and a robust track record in training and development, Debarati has worked with numerous prestigious organizations to empower staff and enhance customer experiences. A sought after image consultant, she is the founder of ‘Image by Debarati’ and facilitates training across industries with élan.

IWH extends heartfelt thanks to the World of Hospitality for hosting the event, providing an excellent platform to bring together industry stalwarts and budding professionals, as well as to all speakers, panelists, and attendees for making this event a remarkable success. Special thanks to the Anjuman I Islam Institute of Hospitality Management (AII – IHM), Anjuman I Islam College of Hospitality and Tourism Management Studies and Research (AII – CHTMSR), and their professor Ms. Trupti Suresh Patole, Rizvi College of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, their professor Ms. Trupti Laghate, and Shiela Raheja Institute of Hotel Management, their professor Ms. Suchismita Roy Indra, for their active participation and for accompanying their students, particularly girls, to be a part of this event and add value. We are also grateful to IWH members Pushpaa Rao, Dipal Parekh, Smita Borse and Soniya Gore for their valuable contribution and support for the event. Their participation was crucial in creating an empowered community of women in the hospitality industry.

For future events and continued engagement with Indian Women in Hospitality, visit our website at www.theiwh.com 

Dr. Laxmi Todiwan
Dr. Laxmi Todiwan
Founder Indian Women in Hospitality. She is a Professor, Corporate Trainer, Author, Keynote Speaker and a Blogger. A multiple award winning hospitality professional with a career spanning over two decades; people engagement, training and development are close to her heart. She writes for hospitality journals, online platforms and columns in the local newspapers. Married to a Master Mariner she loves to write on the maritime industry as well as the lives and relationships of the fraternity. She expresses her thoughts on her blog and website, www.theiwh.com

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