BakeryBiz, Sept-Oct, 2018
The annual gala event of procurement managers in the hospitality industry was hosted in Varanasi with a tribute to the soldiers who served the nation. A report
More than 400 hospitality professionals rubbed shoulders with one another at a glittering event in the holy city of Varanasi and brainstormed over issues concerning purchase and procurement in the industry.
The eighth annual convention of Hospitality Purchasing Managers Forum (HPMF) extended a rare rendezvous for purchasing managers working at New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, Goa, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Jaipur, Indore, Nagpur, Vadodara, Puri and abroad. Three days were spent in razor-sharp debates, discussions, meetings and fun.
Nitin Nagrale, general secretary and founder of HPMF, said, “HPMF was set up with a vision to develop procurement professionals through exchange of procurement knowledge and networking at different avenues.”
The organisation started activities eight years with just three core members. “What started off as an idea with only a few dedicated professionals has today snowballed into an organisation of 2,100 plus members across the world, who are united in their efforts to improve the procurement profession and the hospitality and allied industries,” says Mohan Deshpande, chairman, HPMF. The organisation launched international chapters in the Middle East and Sri Lanka recently.
The annual conventions of HPMF have become sought-after calendar dates in the almanac of the procurement and hospitality industry. The annual convention last year at Jodhpur was the talk of the country’s hospitality community, with over 250 members and over 30 suppliers, media persons and other members of the corporate world gracing the occasion.
This year’s anniversary celebrations featured an exciting tableau of conferences, B2B meetings, cultural activities, music, songs and dance renditions by noted artists. On the itinerary was a tour to some of the iconic ghats where local artists enacted virtuoso performances reliving interesting historical anecdotes.
At the B2B meets, delegates got to mingle with the brightest minds that are constantly disrupting the status quo in the hospitality, airlines, retail and F&B industry. Success stories were recounted. Among them was a brilliantly inspirational account of the restoration of dilapidated neglected historical structures into resplendent standing hotel properties made by the chief guest AmanNath, promoter of Neemrana Hotels.
In between the sessions and perk up the general mood of the gathering was placed the spirited interventions of the loquacious emcee Shikha Singh, who never lost a chance to inject peppy humor to keep the proceedings animated.
Salute to soldiers
In the evening, the delegates assembled at the stately Virasat Haveli for the presentation of the annual HPMF Awards. The Awards gala began with uncharacteristic fervor—a specially created video with a patriotic theme and a panegyric to the brave sacrifices made by the Indian Armed Forces, which was played on a giant screen.
Eight war veterans, who have made sacrifices for the country, were felicitated and among the veterans honoured was Deepchand Kayyat Nashik, who lost his legs and his right wrist during a war.
Members of the HPMF from across the country essayed different roles as soldiers from India’s armed forces representing its three wings. The high-octane video presentation was a befitting tribute to the valour of Indian soldiers and also a vivid prelude to the honour bestowed by HPMF this year upon the eight soldiers from the country’s Armed Forces chosen for their acts of bravery and sacrifice made in service of the nation.
The war veterans who were felicitated were Deepchand Kayyat Nashik, Major General Dilawar Singh, JW Nalin Talwar, Subedar Uday Ram, Brigadier Sushil Bhasin, Commander Keshav, Lt Colonel Ramesh Kumar Chhetri, and Major Aval Sethi.
Among these, Major General Singh works in the area of youth development. JW Talwar, who was in the Air Force and served during the Kargil war, had, in addition to that, been present during 26/11 attacks in Mumbai as well as during the Parliament attack of 2001.
During 26/11, he killed two terrorists and now works to help people achieve sobriety. Subedar Uday Ram works with farmers while Col Chhetri works with liver donors. Aval Sethi, a decorated officer, who is known to have killed many terrorists, works with PROTEGA and supports the third gender.
The Awards ceremony concluded with the conferment of different categories of procurement excellence awards to 23 professionals from the industry. Incumbent Chairman Mohan Deshpande and VT Alexander were presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition, Kaushik Jhingan, Mansingh Rathore and Subramanyam Natarajan were awarded Living Legends Awards.
All of these stalwarts have spent over four decades in the hotel industry. Of the 54 submissions, 42 were nominated and 23 winners were eventually selected.
Respite in holy city
On the final day, delegates boarded a bus for AssiGhat to have scared bath in the Ganges. The next stop was the adjacent TulasiGhat, where they spent time watching young wrestlers at work. Back at the hotel, it was another afternoon of intellectual snacking— conferences, presentations and talk sessions.
The day’s highlight was the release of “Hospitality Procurement Practice,” a one-of-its-kind reference book on hospitality procurement. The contributors to the book are professional procurement managers with vast experience in hospitality purchasing and procurement. The evening venue was Jeevan Deep School, a sprawling academic complex with acres of verdant greenery all around. It was a fit venue for a grand finale evening loaded with Dussehra styled celebrations, a traditional Ramleela performance, the burning of Ravana effigy and the heralding of Diwali.
To ratchet up the excitement further, the evening revelry was accentuated by a regal king size jumbo ushering in the King and Queen of Kashi.
Rounding up the dizzying evening was an epic cornucopia of gustatory offerings and a veritable gourmet guide to vegetarian dining. The ninth edition of HPMF Convention is scheduled to be held in Kochi.
