A person’s life has no value and direction without a dream. Once you have the ‘Dream’, you work towards achieving it with lot of Focus, determination, dedication towards your goal. Your achievement decides the kind of person you must be and the lifestyle you must have maintained.
In today’s competitive world, to be successful is not easy. The path to success is never so easy and has no alternative. A person will have to cross all the hurdles and still be strong enough to walk through the path to reach for their desired goals. The real one’s who do it, they become Legends. As you know, time4star showcases journey of these Unsung Heroes, who have done miracles silently in their Lifespan with their honest work, selfless mission and always striving towards reaching their goals with lot of their good deeds. Achievers are never publicity hungry, so they do not reach out to larger audience being of introvert nature without seeking limelight.
We at time4star, feel the need to showcase their journeys’ as these are so powerful & selfless. STAR journeys become so motivating & inspiring, especially in the current Social Media era, where each act needs to be done for gaining publicity (no offence to anyone, by and large in general) whereas these stars achieved so much in life without even ever going publicity crazy, their journeys are perfect training ground to learn, how Silence becomes great art of conversation with high class Performance.
Showcasing one such scintillating journey of a Star, who is a Stalwart of Hospitality & Tourism Industry, a Hotelier, Author, Successful Entrepreneur, whose life is a typical Bollywood thriller,
I feel fortunate to have met him many times, each time I felt so honored, learnt a lot from him. I have seen him growing with honesty & pride, I can go on and on for him… Let me introduce this magnetic, charismatic personality, who has really made his Family, Friends, Peers proud being a silent performer & has emerged as a real-life Star, always smiling face, let me introduce you all to this Amazing Super Top Rung of Hospitality & Tourism Industry.
Meet Dr. Kuldip Verma, former Senior Vice President of India Tourism Development Corporation, (ITDC) a premier mini-ratna Govt. of India Undertaking. He is an alumnus of Institute of Hotel Management, Calcutta. He has done Masters in Tourism Management from Madurai Kamaraj University. Dr. Kuldip has been conferred with Honorary ‘Doctor of Hospitality’ by ‘Asian Chamber of Hospitality Industry’ for his 50-year meritorious service in the Indian Hotel Industry.
Starting in 1968, 55 years ago in Calcutta, a ‘Bada-Babu’ asks his son, Kuldip (16) to take up ‘Hotel Management’ as a Career and become a ‘Hotelier’. The father calls it his dream. Kuldip joins Institute of Hotel Management, Calcutta (IHM-C).
The IHM study is beyond Kuldip’s comprehension as his schooling was in Hindi medium. He was pronounced unfit for Hotel Management career. The ‘Bada Babu’ is shocked to see his dream coming to an end. Seeing tension in the family, Kuldip is really jolted & his inner-self is stirred, a strong quest is developed to rise to the occasion to realize his father’s dream.
With determination, Kuldip passes the IHM Course with flying colours. On completion of Hotel Management Course, India Tourism Development Corporation selects Kuldip as a Management Trainee in 1971. Thereafter, Kuldip is posted in several hotels in managerial cadre. He keeps on climbing the ladder of success. In a challenging journey, Kuldip rises, struggles and realizes his father’s dream. He becomes an ace Hotelier, Resident Manager – Chief of Hotel Operations of India’s largest iconic 550-Rooms flagship Hotel ‘The Ashok’ in Chanakya Puri, New Delhi.
India’s Host to the World
Kuldip was also nominated for 3 months ‘Management Exchange Programme’ in London with Trusthouse Forte Hotels (THF) with a view to provide higher learning, International hoteliering, Computerized hotel operations and Global Marketing Techniques. THF was a leading hotel group of the world with 18 hotels in London, 200 hotels in England and 600 hotels in USA.
During his tenure in Ashok Hotel, New Delhi, Kuldip came in contact with Superstar Rajesh Khanna as he was a regular VVIP guest. He became a friend of Rajesh Khanna in Delhi. When Kuldip’s father died in 1991, Rajesh Khanna came to Kuldip’s house to pay his condolences. He told Kuldip’s mother that she should not think that Kuldip is alone but she should consider him as her elder son and that she can order him for whatever she needs.
in the Ashok Hotel, New Delhi (1983)
in the Ashok Hotel, New Delhi (1987)
Beyond hotels, Kuldip further excels in new domains as he heads commercial Divisions of ITDC viz. Marketing; Travel & Tourism; Events & Conferences; Human Resource Development etc. He scales new heights with out-of-box endeavors that catapults him to the pinnacle of success.
He finally retired as Sr. Vice President in 2010 after serving in ITDC for 39 years. In ITDC, he held leading positions as a Hotelier, Chief of Marketing, Head of an IATA Travel Agency, Event Organizer, Educationist/Mentor and Tourism Expert in his long innings.
After his retirement, Kuldip has written a book ‘PATH BREAKING JOURNEY’, Challenging Story of a Hotelier about his long career journey.
His self-published book ‘PATH BREAKING JOURNEY’ is available online in AMAZON. The book has many morals: First, commitment is sacred so do your best to fulfill it. Second, take ownership of the assigned responsibility and do your utmost to accomplish it. Third, think out-of-the-box and take initiative without fear. Fourth, loyalty to the organization is foremost. The book has been reviewed by Mr. Parvez Dewan, (Retd. IAS) former C&MD, ITDC and Ex. Secretary (Tourism) Govt. of India who has termed this book as an ‘Inspiration’ and a ‘Path Finder’
his ITDC’s Degree Course students in Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi in July 2007.
Kuldip is an avid traveller and has toured extensively across all regions of India & to major foreign countries viz. USA, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Russia, China, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Afghanistan & Nepal.
Kuldip has launched his company VAVA Tourism & Hospitality Solutions Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi and he heads the company as its CEO & Director. He is also empanelled as independent Consultant with KPMG, Price Waterhouse Coopers, E&Y, Wadia Techno-Engineering Services.
A ‘Script’ has been developed, based on his book ‘PATH BREAKING JOURNEY’, for recreating his challenging journey on a large canvas in a feature film or through ‘6 Episode OTT Series’.
Team time4star wishes Mr. Kuldip Verma great success for all his future endeavors & his upcoming web-series should become a huge success in India & Worldwide.