"I HAVE THE SAME SENSE OF PRIDE AND EXCITEMENT I HAD ON DAY ONE!"

Ritesh Sharma, General Manager – The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Mumbai, tells us all about how he strives to keep the Tajness alive every single day.

- VINODINI RAO

From leading the operations at some of IHCL's (Indian Hotels Co Ltd) most iconic hotels such as the Taj Mahal, New Delhi, and Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad, to, most recently, heading the team at the Taj Santacruz, Mumbai, Ritesh Sharma has always been a hands-on leader, role model for his team and apparently also a favourite with the guests.

Excerpts from our interview:

You started your career with the Taj 20 years ago and are today one of the youngest GMs to helm the iconic Taj Mahal Palace. How has the journey been so far?

It has been an absolute honour to be a part of IHCL (Indian Hotels Company Limited). Like every hotelier, it has also been my dream to be associated with our flagship The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai. I am humbled and immensely grateful to have been given the opportunity to lead the flagship.

The journey so far has been that of immense learning and striving for excellence. I come to the hotel with the same sense of pride and excitement that I had on day one when I started this remarkable journey. Throughout the course, I have been guided by mentors who have helped me shape the learning curve and worked with colleagues who continue to endeavor to bring Tajness (driven by emotion rather than logic, Tajness means taking care of the tiniest of your everyday needs and addressing the simplest of queries in a unique, never-before experienced way) alive each day. This has not only fuelled an innate desire to persevere through every tide but has also helped build a deep sense of conviction in myself as an hotelier and as an individual.

What triggered your interest in the hospitality industry? Where did it all begin?