Tejinder Singh Walia has been elected as President of the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) for 2014-15 at the 58th Annual General Meeting of FHRAI held in Mumbai.
On being elected as FHRAI President, Walia said, “I am truly overwhelmed by the trust and confidence which my colleagues on the Executive Committee have reposed in me. I accept this distinct honour of assuming the Presidency of FHRAI for 2014-15, with both gratitude as well as a profound sense of responsibility. 2015 is destined to be a landmark year, in which FHRAI will complete sixty glorious years of exemplary service to the Indian hospitality industry and we will also celebrate the golden jubilee of our Annual Convention. We embark on our shared journey towards these momentous milestones, by first paying rich tribute to the great stalwarts of our fraternity, whose vision and leadership has collectively shaped and enriched this august organisation over the past six decades. We are resolutely committed to carry forward their inspiring legacy and work relentlessly for safeguarding and promoting the best interests of our industry.”
An alumnus of the prestigious University of Calcutta, Walia is a highly accomplished entrepreneur, with business interests spanning hospitality, retail and merchandise exports. He is the Chairman of Hotel Walson, a well-known boutique hotel situated in the heart of Kolkata. He also owns a chain of six popular pubs and specialty cuisine restaurants across Kolkata. He had served on the Joint Export Promotion Committee set up by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) in partnership with the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India and Directorate of Industries, Government of West Bengal. He has also led various exporters’ delegations to major international business forums such as INTECHMART.
Outlining his plans for the year ahead, the FHRAI President said, “The coming year is especially crucial, because many of the key policy and regulatory issues, which FHRAI has been diligently pursuing for long, are currently poised at an important juncture, for instance, introduction of the Goods & Services Tax (GST), e-Visa for international tourists, infrastructure status for the hospitality industry, single-window clearance for projects, streamlining of the hotel classification norms etc. We have to be persistent and proactive in our engagement with the Government, to ensure that these initiatives come to timely fruition. I am confident that the new team of office bearers will have the steadfast support and cooperation of all industry stakeholders, as we earnestly execute our ambitious agenda.”
