Glimpse of ITDC Hotel Management

Four students, Gurvandana Gandhi, Sharanya Sai, Prachee Gupta, and Mallika Mukim, with their teacher, Dr. Smriti Singh, assembled at the School reception on 24th June, 2017 for a visit to an ITDC Hotel, the Ashoka, for a Management Guide tour. This was of particular interest to students who are considering Hotel Management for a career.

We were warmly welcomed and walked through the campus, comprising multiple banquet halls, conventional centres and meeting rooms with capacities ranging from 40 to 2000 people! ' All one can say is that the management, booking processes, etc. is not as easy a job as it may seem to an outsider! The task is much bigger and more difficult than what it looks like.' We realised for ourselves that the world of hotels is a combination of different elements, each carefully synchronised with the rest.

Maintaining the functionality of the suites, the kitchens, the main desks, the housekeeping department and all the other areas, calls for a great deal of patience and and calm temperament. It is especially critical to handle all kinds of 'guests' (as hoteliers call their customers) and even tricky situations.

The fruitful tour ended with an interaction with the Head Chef who shared her own journey as an intern in the kitchen department. She was reminded of her first six months in the job where she was assigned only to chop onions! It tool a perseverance and patience to reach her present position, she said.

But no, hotel management is not only about chopping onions and answering guests' calls with "Yes sir" and "sorry for the inconvenience, ma'am", it is about the willingness to serve tirelessly, often for long hours etc. We were also explained how CAs and sales' people have an equally important role to play in the profession.

This tour was an eye opener and we saw first hand how a hotel is run. We never realised before how multi tonged hotel operations are! Stuffed vastly with effort and patience. We also understood that one cant succeed in a profession such as this without incorporating these two important qualities in lifestyle.

It was a wonderful experience for all of us.

Mallika Mukim.