Why Jyotsna Suri Can Rightly Be Called the Queen of the Hospitality Industry The Lalit Suri hospitality Group is India's largest privately owned hotel chain

Bharat Hotels was started in 1981 by the Founder Chairman Lalit Suri and his wife Jyotsna Suri through bank loan and personal savings. Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, Jyotsna always wanted to do something which would take the country forward and also caters to people. Initially they had a franchise with international chains like Holiday Inn, Hilton and Inter Continental. It was in 2008 when the group carved out a new identity and rebranded all hotels in the name of its Founder Chairman, Lalit Suri.

On charting a new vision of the group, Jyotsna says, "Though I was working as the Joint Managing Director, it was daunting to step in Lalit's shoes. I had to establish my credibility internally and with the external world as well. The major transition came when we rebranded the company as Lalit. Carving a new identity for an already existing brand with fresh ideologies was most challenging." Describing itself as traditionally modern, subtly luxurious and distinct, the Lalit Suri hospitality Group is India's largest privately owned hotel chain.

Talking about her next big goal, she shares, "Right now, I am focused on opening of The Lalit Ahmedabad. We also plan to open more hotels in mid segment." The group believes in developing destinations and not just hotels'. Therefore, its initiatives involve the local population, their handicrafts, culture and food.

(This article was first published in the March issue of Entrepreneur Magazine. To subscribe, click here)