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Navin Kumar Nanchahal, principal and secretary
of IHM Chandigarh, chats with Praveen K Singh
What is the USP of your Institute? How have you
created a niche for yourself?
The USP is that we instill confidence in students so
that they become successful professionals in whichever department they
choose to work in. Our aim is to create global players in any sphere of
activity by engaging specialists to train each candidate, individually,
from day one.
In comparison to other teaching shops operating today
which impart hospitality education and believe in giving certificates
after taking lofty course fees, we impart the best of training to students,
making them employable by the hotel industry and other newer avenues.
Also, no specialised course can take you anywhere if
inter-personal skills are unpleasant. Special attention is given to develop
charming and delightful body language, while honing inter-personal skills.
What does the future hold for hospitality education
in India?
There are very bright prospects for hospitality education
in the country. The tourism industry is the third largest net earner of
foreign exchange in India. It is expected to be number one by the year
2010.
The 9th five year plan has spelt out that there is a
shortfall of over 30 thousand trained professionals every year. Likewise,
a report of the planning commission has forecasted that 17 per cent of
new jobs will be created in the service sector in the country in the next
10 years. In developed countries, the service sector is growing faster
than the manufacturing sector and it is a dominant source of direct and
indirect employment. There is a shortage of trained professionals in other
countries also and employment opportunities are in abundance. A job is
created in every 2 to 4 seconds in the tourism industry worldwide. Good
salary and perks for trained professionals, and opportunities for growth
to top executive levels are advantages.
What role will your institute play in bringing
changes in hospitality education in India?
Our mission is to impart hospitality education consistently,
with an aim to develop human resource at global levels in the sphere of
tourism.
Our institute is committed to fill the shortfall by providing
trained manpower to the hospitality industry. Our focus is not only in
technical skill development but also attitudinal development, namely:
discipline, personal grooming and other soft skills.
We, at the institute, keep abreast with the latest developments
in the industry and our endeavour is to transfer the same to the students.
This ensures that our outgoing students are not found wanting when they
join the industry. We also impart basic knowledge and skills to meet the
demands of various sectors of service industry e.g. fast food chains,
retailing, BPOs, airlines etc.
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Dr
Ambedkar Institute of Hotel Management, Catering and Nutrition, Chandigarh was
set up in the year 1990. In 1996 the institute shifted to its new building,
set in the lush green surroundings of Le Corbusier's beautiful city, in sector
42-D. 
The
institute's objective is to make sure that each candidate feels safe, secure,
while being competitive and confident from the outset, ensuring them a career
of their choice at the end of the tunnel. And the payoff is immense. The job
opportunities available to a student, outside the hospitality industry, are
manifold: 
