Nirav Gandhi Elected As The New President Of HRAWI At The 76th AGM
Mumbai, Sept 11: Mr Nirav Gandhi, Director of the Express Group of Hotels & Resorts, Gujarat has been elected the new President of The Hotel And Restaurant Association (Western India) – HRAWI. The appointment took place
Mumbai, Sept 11: Mr Nirav Gandhi, Director of the Express Group of Hotels & Resorts, Gujarat has been elected the new President of The Hotel And Restaurant Association (Western India) – HRAWI. The appointment took place during the 76th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Mumbai on 10th September, 2026, where new Office Bearers for the 2026-27 term were also appointed. Prior to this appointment, Mr Gandhi served as the Senior Vice President of the Association where he led key industry discussions and has been an active proponent for regional tourism and hospitality growth across Western India. In his new role, Mr Gandhi will be spearheading HRAWI’s continued engagement with policymakers and stakeholders, while strengthening collaboration among hotels, restaurants and allied businesses across the region. The Association will continue to focus on constructive policy advocacy, knowledge sharing, capacity building and initiatives that support a more resilient and competitive hospitality ecosystem.
Mr. Nirav Gandhi is a hospitality professional, entrepreneur and industry advocate with over three decades of hospitality experience. He holds a B.Sc. in Hotel & Resort Management from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), USA, which he completed in 1993.
He has been associated with Express Hotel, Vadodara, an HRAWI member since 1986, and has served as its Director for over two decades. He has also held several leadership positions in the industry, including Hon. Secretary of HRAWI, Executive Committee Member of FHRAI and Founder & Past President of EO Gujarat.
Mr. Gandhi has actively represented the hospitality industry before Government authorities and regulatory bodies on matters relating to FSSAI, hotel classification, taxation, licensing, OTA-related issues, QCI and BIS standards, among others. His contributions include supporting the development of IHQS – FHRAI’s hotel classification system and facilitating the establishment of an FSSAI Food Testing Laboratory at Vadodara.
With his extensive hospitality experience, entrepreneurial background and strong understanding of industry and regulatory matters, Mr. Gandhi brings a practical and industry-focused perspective to his new role as President of HRAWI.
“It is an honour and a responsibility to take on the leadership of HRAWI at a time when the hospitality industry is undergoing significant transformation. The Association has built a strong legacy of advocacy, collaboration and service to the industry, and I look forward to building on that foundation. I believe that a strong and united industry voice is essential to shaping policies that enable hospitality businesses to thrive. Together with our Office Bearers, Executive Committee and members, we will work towards making hospitality more resilient and competitive,” says Mr Nirav Gandhi, President, HRAWI.
The newly appointed Office Bearers include Mr. Paramjit Singh Ghai, Senior Vice President; Mr. Gurbir Singh Bedi, Vice President; Mr. Pradeep Shetty, Hon. Secretary; Mr. Sumit Suri, Jt. Hon. Secretary and Mr. Satyen Jain, Hon. Treasurer.
“In continuation with the efforts of the previous Office Bearers, our priorities will be to strengthen Government engagement on EoDB and industry matters, while advancing up-skilling, food safety and compliance. We will also expand, both in reach and frequency wherever possible, the HRAWI Conclave & Awards and Knowledge Series as platforms for recognition and industry learning. A proposed Hotel Chain Representation Board (HCRB) will provide leading hotel chains a formal platform to engage with HRAWI and contribute to policy discussions at the State and National levels. We also envision taking the HRAWI Expo to a larger scale, creating greater opportunities for industry collaboration and business,” concludes Mr Gandhi.
About the Hotel And Restaurant Association (Western India) – HRAWI
The Hotel And Restaurant Association (Western India) – HRAWI is a 76 years old Association of Hotels and Restaurants in Western India. Its members include Restaurants and Hotels up to 5-Star Deluxe categories. With membership base spread across Western India, HRAWI covers Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa and Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and is considered to be the voice of the Hospitality Industry. The association is part of the national body of the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), located in New Delhi, which was originally founded in Mumbai in 1950 by the late Mr J.R.D. Tata.
