NIPS Institute of Hotel Management has appointed hospitality professional Shekhar Mukherjee as its executive director, drawing on his more than four decades of experience in hotel operations, food and beverage services, flight catering and people management.

Mukherjee is an alumnus of the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), Kolkata. He has 42 years of professional experience in the hospitality sector and most recently served as general manager of TajSATS Kolkata. During his career, he held leadership positions involving hospitality operations, team management and talent development.

He also served on the Board of Governors of IHM Kolkata for nearly eight years, contributing to the institution’s academic and administrative activities.

At NIPS, Mukherjee will focus on strengthening the relationship between hospitality education and industry requirements. His responsibilities will include student mentoring, faculty development, industry engagement and improving graduate employability.

The institute plans to draw on his professional experience to give students greater exposure to workplace expectations, including professional communication, guest handling, decision-making, leadership, service standards and operational discipline.

Dr Vivek Pathak, founder director of NIPS Institute of Hotel Management, said Mukherjee’s experience would help bridge the gap between academic learning and professional practice.

He emphasised the importance of preparing students for the workplace well before the placement stage, adding that Mukherjee’s understanding of hospitality operations and talent development would contribute to this effort.

Commenting on his appointment, Mukherjee said academic knowledge provides the foundation for a career, but students must also understand professional conduct, teamwork, accountability, service standards and the realities of the workplace.

Mukherjee retired from the Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) in March 2026. He continues to be associated with the hospitality sector through a process-improvement and advisory role with Speciality Restaurants Limited.

His appointment is also expected to strengthen NIPS’s engagement with hospitality industry stakeholders and academic institutions on curriculum development, practical training, industry exposure and changing skill requirements.

The appointment comes amid an emphasis on aligning hospitality education with the needs of the service industry, where professional skills, practical experience and workplace readiness are important components of graduate preparation.