Krishan Kant Aggarwal is the general manager at Vivanta by Taj, Guwahati. With a hospitality background that spans over two decades, he kicked off his career with Taj in 1996. Starting as a management trainee, he hopped up the ranks through F&B and has overseen several properties in India. Before finally reaching the position of a general manager, he has served various profiles, including that of a kitchen steward, assistant restaurant manager, restaurant manager, banquet manager and so on.
An experienced hotelier, Krishan will soon take charge as the Vice President – Hotel Openings of Vivanta by Taj.
Originally hailing from Mathura, Krishan was born in Delhi to a family of officers working in the armed forces. Having travelled to many places in India due to the transferable nature of his father’s job, he completed his schooling from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Tughlaqabad, New Delhi. He then went on to study hotel management from the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), Ahmedabad. Krishan also pursued Masters in Business Administration from Symbiosis Institute of Management, Pune before stepping into the corporate world. But his education did not stop there and he’s currently pursuing executive education from Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad.
Describing his journey as a beautiful one, Krishan told G Plus, “The fact that you work for the Tata organisation is a matter of pride and the essence of Taj is such that you feel connected to the organisation. Knowing that the amount of work we do is eventually serving for the betterment of the society is a very satisfying feeling.”
What makes Vivanta by Taj, Guwahati distinctly superior when compared to other similar hotels in the city is the personal attention given by the general manager of the hotel even to minor details. Krishan is present all over the hotel, whether it is when important guests check in or when a party is being hosted.
A fitness freak and a travel enthusiast, Krishan loves adventure. He’s passionate about swimming and running and loves to explore new places and meet new people. Krishan loves his food cooked to perfection. His favourite cuisine is Japanese - one of the most elite cuisines from around the globe.
“Making conversations with people always inspired me and the life of a hotelier always fascinated me. So, I decided that the hotel industry is one such industry where I can follow my passion, exercising my business acumen,” said Krishan. He further added that being a hotelier is much more intelligent work than the fancies of a 5 star hotel.
Krishan is an easily approachable person. For his colleagues and employees, he is always available. He has a very simple approach to management – treat humans like humans and do not complicate the equation by being empathetic. He says that everything else falls into place when you start to respect other people’s thought process.
To run a hotel, one requires special skills. According to Krishan, the most important skill is to know your subjects well. He says that the basics always remain same and they can be co-related with the practical aspects to make the hotel reach the top.
G Plus asked Krishan about the challenges he faces as a hotel manager. He said, “The greatest challenge is to find the right balance between ensuring that your employees grow, seeing that your guests are being taken care of and, at the same time, ensuring that you’re profitable. It all has to be done in a very transparent and honest manner. Another major challenge is to keep up pace with your competition and constantly deliver something new, changing and evolving with time.”
Krishan’s advice to prospective hoteliers: do what you’re currently doing in the most earnest manner, learn the rights things, do your job sincerely and get yourself well equipped with the basics. Because, once you step foot in the workplace, you can’t go back to learning those things. If you have the combination of ability, leadership and aspiration, you’re a winner!
Speaking about the tourism industry in Assam, Krishan says, “The tourism industry of Assam is definitely evolving. There’s an active interest from the government in pushing the industry further and with the growth of infrastructure, I’m sure it’s only going to rise further. I do feel that marketing is something that needs to be improved further and we, as the custodian of Indian hospitality, wish to contribute to Assam tourism and bring the right clientele to explore the beautiful state of Assam.”
He further said that there has been a positive change in the tourism trend in Guwahati. Earlier, Guwahati used to serve mostly as a transit point while travelling to other places like Shillong and Kaziranga, rather than serving as a place to stay. But nowadays, people are changing their itinerary to make Guwahati a one-night destination because the city now has places to stay for pleasure and leisure.
