About Patron Members

He is at present a successful entrepreneur in tourism, hospitality and education sectors in his sojourn of 37 years of business life who started from zero to become a hero in the corporate domain in my native province in India’s eastern coast along Bay of Bengal. He owns a chain of organisations including Swosti Hotel Pvt limited, Swosti Premium Ltd, Bhubaneswar, Swosti Chilika Resort, Gopalpur, Swosti Chilika resort, Swosti Vacations club pvt ltd (Purim Satapada & Bhitarakanika), Swosti Educational Foundation, Swosti Travels & Exports Pvt Ltd, Swosti Institute of Management & Social Studies, Swosti Palm Resorts Gopalpur and Hotel & Restaurant Association of Odisha etc. He has been bestowed with several awards and recognistions in India and Odisha province by Govt and several agencies including international organisations like the United Nations etc. This is due to his hardwork, honesty, creativity, accountability and of being personable to all he comes in the wake of his life.

Chef Manjit Gill is a well known name in the culinary world for his impressive list of achievements over the years. He was former Corporate Chef, ITC Hotels and has brought unmatched fame to a number of previously unknown concepts that are now globally iconic restaurants, they have been ranked among the ‘The World’s 50 Best Restaurants’ by Restaurant Magazine. He founded Indian first national chef’s forum in 1984 and then was instrumental in creation of Indian Federation of Culinary Associates in 2003. He is also the first Indian to earn the honorary membership of WorldChefs and was appointed as Chairman of WorldChefs Committee on Cultural Heritage and Ethnic Cuisine. He launched the first TV show on Indian food on DoorDarshan in India in 1982 and followed it up with Aapka Nashta, Daawat and many other national and international TV programmes. He has authored three books titled ‘Eating Wisely & Well’ Indian Spa Cuisine and Fire/Water/Earth/Air/Ether – Secrets of Indian Gastronomy. Among the many awards that he has won over the years, some of the most prominent ones are The Lifetime Achievement Award in the hospitality sector by the Ministry of Tourism in 2007, Escoffier Medal from Worldchefs and an honorary doctorate of Arts in 2019.

Chef Sarita Sehjpal is a celebrity chef of Indian origin in Norway with a long list of achievements. She is the owner of a hugely popular India restaurant Mother India in Oslo. In addition, she also owns a popular ready to eat food brand called SaritaS. She has written books on travel and food in addition to hosting her own TV show called Sarita’s Jar. Over the last few years, she has led a number of travel groups from Scandinavian countries in to India.

Prateek Hira has been mentioned as out-of-box tour operator by leading travel magazines. Prateek has been awarded by ABP News & World Federation of Hospitality Professionals with its most coveted award, ‘Most Influential Leaders In Travel Industry’ in 2019. He is also the Chairman of IATO for the states Uttar Pradesh and Uttrakhand.

Till August 2019 Prateek was also the Chairman for states of Bihar and Jharkhand.

Dr. Pushpesh Pant is a food critic, historian and academic and has received multiple awards including the prestigious Padma Shri by Indian government in 2016. He has written multiple books and articles for a number of national and international publications over the years over multiple topics over the years which include food, travel, history, international relations and politics. One of his books, India: The Cookbook was named by an American paper as one of the best cookbooks of the year.

ubhash Arora is a prolific wine writer, author, journalist, international judge, speaker, consultant, educator and a wine club promoter of international repute. He is the Editor and major content provider of delWine. He is also the India Correspondent of Meininger Wine Business International Germany. He also writes for several newspapers and magazines in India and abroad. Arora is an electrical engineer from IIT Delhi and an FIE (Fellow of Institute of Engineers), the highest level of membership in the national professional association. After working in Germany for a year, he went on to the US and completed his MSIE and MBA from the University of Minnesota. An IT entrepreneur, he has been a wine evangelist and ambassador for the last 18 years, singularly devoted to the promotion of wine culture in India.

Born in Toronto, Colleen Taylor Sen is a Chicago-based author and culinary historian focusing on the food of the Indian subcontinent. She is the author of seven books, including Food Culture in India; Curry: A Global History; Turmeric: The Wonder Spice; and A Guide to Indian Restaurant Menus. She is co-editor of Street Food around the World: An Encyclopedia of Food and Culture and The Chicago Food Encyclopedia. She is also co-editor of the forthcoming Companion of Indian Food. Her book, Feasts and Fasts: A History of Food in India, was selected as one of the best food books of the year by Vogue and The Smithsonian Magazine and called one of the essential books on Indian food by Madhur Jaffrey.

Chef Davinder Kumar started his career from Oberoi Centre of Learning & Development (OCLD) for 3-years Kitchen Management diploma programme and from there has worked as Executive Chef for 12 years before moving to Le Méridien in 1985. He has written several cookery books which are used by chefs and other professionals in the culinary field. Some of this more popular books include ‘Kebab, Chutney & Bread’; “Just Kebabs: Celebration of 365 Kebabs & one for a Leap Year’, ‘Soups’, and ‘Four Seasonal Salads’. He also made a record breaking 7500 kg cake and has won numerous awards like Golden Hat Chef, Best Chef of India and a medal at Inetrnational Cooking Festival in Japan. He has been a prominent member of Indian Culinary Forum (ICF) for 18 years and still going strong.

H.R.Jayram’s rural background made him realise he must invest his resources wisely to start and support the Natural Farming Movement. A lawyer by profession and a Nature lover by passion, Mr. Jayaram started farming in the year 1998 and later on gave birth to ‘The Greenpath’ a web of eco-initiatives in the year 2007. He has received numerous accolades for his contribution in this sector. He is the founder secretary of Jaivik Krishik Society (JKS), a federation of farmer groups founder by Govt. of Karnataka. He is also the Vice President of Internationl Competence Center for Organic Agriculture (ICCOA) and a member of International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM – Organics International).

Dr.Tarun Bansal, Hospitality and Tourism Educator, researcher, and project consultant carries with him a rich 29 years experience of in Hospitality & Tourism Management, Facility Planning, Hotel Engineering, Food and Beverage Operations, and management. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Science, Law, Tourism, and a Master’s in Tourism Management. Awarded Certified Hospitality Educator from AHLA, USA, and PGDTT from IHM Mumbai, and QLF from LHC Switzerland. Author of three books on Facility Planning, Hotel Engineering, and Food & Beverage Operations to Management. Undertaken several prestigious project assignments including Taj Group of Hotels, Clarks Group of Hotels, Uttar Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation, N.T.P.C, G.A.I.L, Hindalco, and designed more than fifty base kitchens for IRCTC, U.P.P.A.C, U.P.Prisons, and Dr. R.M.L.Institute ( U.P.A.M), Tulip Inn, Ranchi and Various engineering institutes of Dr. A.P.J. Kalam Technical University. He has been a mentor/ supervisor/ guide to more than 300 MTM, BTS, M.Sc H.A., B.Sc HHA students. Organized and conducted successfully residential workshops on Properties Development and Facility Planning, Digital Marketing. Recipient of Best Teacher Award by Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, and Best Academician Award by several Universities and State Boards of Technical Educations for his outstanding contribution in the field of Hospitality and Tourism Training and Education.

Amit Lohani is managing director and owner of Max Inc., which is a leading importer and exporter of high value processed food items in India. He is also the national convener, founder, and director for Forum of Indian Food Importers (FIFI), a not for profile apex chamber, which works towards establishing inroads for international food and beverage trade in India. Additionally, Amit is a member of the Government of India’s Food Safety and Standard Authorities’ committee member working on food regulatory ecosystem to facilitate investment and trade development in the country. Furthermore, Amit holds various other responsible positions representing international trade in India at numerous forums like board member for Indo Italian Chamber of Commerce, member of FMCG committee at ASSOCHAM, jury member for annual Coca-Cola golden spoons awards, jury member of OSPITALITA ITALIANA RISTORANTI ITALIANI NEL MONDO, jury member for Annapurna world food India annual awards, and chairperson of India Food Delegation.

He is an alumnus of U.S. Government’s premier professional exchange program International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). He is a recipient of the fellowship from Fresno State University in California on cold chain management and infrastructure development. Amit has also studied international trade and business from the University of Queensland, Australia and Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, New Delhi, India.”