Exclusive Interview | Arun Kumar Singh, Director, FHRAI IHM
/You’ve led some of the most prestigious IHMs across India. What have been the most defining moments in your journey as an educationist in hospitality?
There are few defining moments in my 41 years career in hospitality industry, oblique Education, namely-
After serving 12 years in hospitality industry and as a faculty at IHM, Jaipur, I have been given responsibility to start Food craft Institute at Jodhpur in Hotel Ghoomar (RTDC) and tourist reception Centre, Jodhpur without any requisite infrastructure of Institute.
We took challenge under the leadership of Shri MK Khanna, then Secretary -Planning and Tourism ,Government of Rajasthan and started Institute in 1996 with 55 students in different diploma programmes like Food Production, F&B service, Housekeeping and Front Office and within five years, we were able to upgrade that Institute to State Institute of Hotel Management in 2001 . Learning & rich experience of these 9 years in Jodhpur had boosted my knowledge and confidence.
Other defining moments was when got an opportunity to move IHM, Lucknow, where I studied and joined back as a principal after 20 years and the opportunity to serve IHM, Mumbai as principal for seven years .
Having transitioned from government institutions to FHRAI-IHM, what has been your vision for repositioning the institute, and how far have you come in that journey?
I was scheduled to retire from IHM,Mumbai in December 2020, but three months before that I have been approached by FHRI officials regarding the reopening of FHRAI –IHM, Greater Noida, which was not functional from long time.
We had several discussions on this topic and finally came out with a plan, which we started executing from January 2021 to restart the Institute in affiliation with NCHMCT, Noida and offered 3 years B.Sc. in Hospitality and Hotel administration program along with the trade diploma in Hotel Operational subjects .
We started working on the plan in month of March, but suddenly second phase of Covid disrupted the entire schedule but from May 2021, we work aggressively on the plan and invested about ₹300 Lacs in repair and renovation, purchasing of equipment, furniture etc. and were able to set the Institute for NCHMCT inspection in month of August. This miracle was possible only with full support of FHRAI executive committee members and secretariat.
Our first batch begins with just 10 students in September 2021, but in next three years, we are in much better position in terms of enrolment in comparison to several state IHM and other private IHM affiliated with national Council for hotel management.
After working for long number of years in government, IHM and then moving to FHRAI-IHM was a pleasant move, as within short span of time, we were able to restart Institute with reasonable investment and strengthen our presence in hospitality management education in the country in last four years .
What key shifts have you observed in hospitality education over the past three decades? What must institutes focus on today to stay relevant?
In 90’s government IHM was the only option of hospitality management education in the country, but due to the policies of AICTE & UGC and expansion of industry , several private players enter into the hospitality management education ,but government IHM were not only able to survive but increase their presence throughout the country.
Government IHMs under NCHMCT introduced 20/17 weeks industrial exposure in second year, which was a bold move and helped students to understand the hospitality industry functioning from close quarters and also created the need for Trained manpower in Indian Hospitality industry. When these students are in the Hotels for 17 long weeks, hotels identify talented students and prefer them for selection in campus interviews.
Before Covid, everything was in order, but after Covid Hospitality enrolment is on downside, due to the rough and unexpected behaviour of the hotels and restaurants with their staff and issues of low initial wages, working hours and lack of defined and visible career growth are now became the hindrance in attracting young talent, hospitality management education.
In the present scenario, IHM are required to focus on attitude formation towards the hospitality industry requirement, personality development, improved communication along with the knowledge and skill.
In your opinion, how can we better bridge the gap between hospitality education and the ever-evolving industry expectations?
It’s always challenging for IHM to prepare the students as per the expectation of industry. In my opinion, IHM should focus on right attitude for the service, discipline, positive personality development, and improved communication. The knowledge of the relevant subjects, mastering of skills and balanced managerial input to take right decisions at right time.
If you could redesign the hospitality curriculum from scratch, what new elements or philosophies would you integrate?
In our opinion, the load of Hospitality operation should be limited to 40% -50% of curriculum, whereas personality development, communication and general awareness should constitute 30% of the curriculum and management subjects like financial management, project management, HR management, et cetera, should have 30% component in the curriculum.
The inclusion of 17 weeks, industrial training is a bless for the students as they get the first and exposure of the industry and therefore must for the industry also to give them better experience, knowledge and skill so that they retain their interest in the hospitality industry and further developed while studying in final year in the institute to serve the industry in a better manner .
What role does mentorship play in shaping hospitality professionals, and how do you ensure your students are industry-ready beyond textbooks?
Mentorship play a very crucial role in shaping the hospitality professionals starting from the 17 week industrial training. Hotel should assign a mental to each and every training or employ in initial years. Who must remain enclosed touch with the Training oblique staff listen their grievances or concerns and help them in gaining knowledge and skill in right atmosphere and grow further.
What are some of the learning & development initiatives you’ve implemented or witnessed that have made a significant impact on your faculty or students?
Expectation of Guests and requirement of the hospitality industry are ever-changing, therefore, Faculty need to upgrade themselves in terms of technical input, have a better understanding of youngsters emotional, and psychological needs, and to remain a better trainer should always use right methodology for imparting the knowledge and skill.
Faculty should also go to the industry time to time for at least two weeks exposure in Concerned area, and after coming back, update their content and deliver them in a rightful manner to the student. Faculty need to calculate the habit of self -learning among the students, which will be a lifetime asset for them.
If the Hospemag Trainers Guild invited you to conduct a session for upcoming trainers or hospitality professionals, what topics would you be most excited to teach.
Faculty need to be given a deep knowledge about the technological development, guest, expectations, cost, cutting devices, or systems and our wall tools for increasing the revenue of their organisation, along with the traditional knowledge and skill, which is to be imported as a base to the students.
Faculty need to attend at least 2 to 3 training program in a year so that they also understand the need and expectations of the trainee an importance of resolving those issues to keep the interest of the trainee in a particular course.
Reports suggest that a significant percentage of hospitality graduates are not considered industry-ready. As someone who has led top institutes, what do you think we’re missing—and how can we fix it?
Hospitality industry should also think in terms of capital support to Institute as institutes are preparing a student for them, and it is their moral responsibility to help Institute and creating better training infrastructure and environment. This cannot be the sole responsibility of the institutes but can be improved only with the active involvement of the industry by taking care of the trainees and staff selected from IHMs.
For attracting students with the positive attitude, right personality and communication industry is must to offer better salary, perks and growth. Then only we will be in position to attract better talent as we were having till 8 to 10 years back.
Many young professionals are veering away from hospitality citing long hours and limited growth. How do we reposition this industry to attract and retain talent in the modern world?
This issue is with our industry from decades, and we should not stop people from moving to other industry apart from the core hospitality, but hospitality industry should look into the conditions which are affecting their moral and making them to move to other industry.
We need to re-look into some pressing factors like working conditions, career prospects, and then there will be open field for the student to remain in this industry or move to other industry as per their choice.
