Last - but not least- we had the pleasure to interview Utkarsh Phooli, representing the upcoming class of 2023. Utkarsh is the Program Ambassador for IMHI.

AAIMHI: What memories will you keep from your time at IMHI?

Utkarsh: I think to answer what I will not remember would be shorter than to answer what I will 😊! 

Not only have I made friends for life, at IMHI I have met mentors in the form of professors and alumni and gained valuable knowledge on a wide variety of subjects. I will always be grateful to IMHI to not only give me the opportunity to develop myself professionally but also as a person. Be it the personal development coaching of the talent centre or the group projects, each activity at IMHI was thoughtfully designed to help us improve as leaders of the future. This is something that I will always fondly remember for the rest of my life.

AAIMHI: You have been very active as the IMHI program ambassador, tell us about it!

Utkarsh: I believe each and every one, be it a current student or an alumni, is an ambassador of IMHI. To be given the opportunity to be the program ambassador of this amazing program for 2 years was an absolute honour. From managing the program’s social media to helping aspiring students, the role made me more aware of myself and the program and, in a small way, allowed me to help the people around me. Furthermore, the opportunity helped me broaden my network and at the same time trusted me with additional responsibilities which helped me improve drastically in terms of my interpersonal skills.

Inspired by the alumni from the very first day, I always wanted to do my bit to give back to the program. To me, this role was my first step in being able to do so. I hope to build on this in the future and carry the IMHI name to my best capabilities!

AAIMHI: Could you share an achievement you are particularly proud of in your life?

Utkarsh: I hope my major achievements are yet to come however, speaking about the achievement during my time at IMHI, I would say I am the proudest of how I integrated with the batch and the relationships I built here.

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did but people will never forget how you made them feel” – Maya Angelou. This is something I will always live by. I believe being recognised as a good person and a good friend by the people around me was my most important achievement. 

With that said, I am also particularly proud of being a recipient of a scholarship from my organisation Indian Hotels Company Limited, proud of my small achievements during the program and also of my work during my internship at HVS London. 

AAIMHI: Besides the academic degree, which are the soft skills you believe are particularly important today?

Utkarsh: As technology advances and adoption of technical skills increases globally, I believe the true differentiator in driving success is going to be the soft skills one possesses. While technology can replace routine tasks, to me, it can never replace the emotional intelligence of a true leader. 

We have always learnt that being a leader is not the same as being a manager and through my short career, I have realised that it is indeed true. Communication skills, ability to be a team player, mutual respect, time management skills, embracing change, showcasing empathy, creative thinking, problem solving and most importantly adaptability would characterise the leaders of tomorrow according to me. 

The world needs strong leaders now more than ever; leaders that can not only deliver business results but achieve milestones being socially responsible. I believe this is something that IMHI has helped me inculcate in my own development through the various activities and constituents of the thoughtfully curated program.

AAIMHI: Do you believe the alumni association AAIMHI, the IMHI network, is important? Why?

Utkarsh: The biggest differentiator (outside of the program itself) that sets IMHI apart is the strength of the alumni network. By strength I do not mean the sheer number of alumni around the world, by strength I mean the unity and willingness of the alumni to help everyone involved. 

I had always undermined the power of the alumni network till I joined IMHI. The active involvement, encouragement, inspiration and opportunities that the alumni network adds to the program is second to no other program in the world. Be it the monthly get togethers around the world or the extremely thoughtful DIVERS’IMHI scholarship fund, the alumni association of IMHI (AAIMHI) has always gone a step above in making a difference and I am extremely grateful to the alumni network.

Afterall, it was one IMHI alumni who helped me join the program, Mr. Puneet Chhatwal, and another one who gave me a chance with my internship at HVS London, Ms. Sophie Perret. It indeed is a small world full of opportunities when you are connected to the IMHI alumni network.  

AAIMHI: What advice would you give to aspiring students of the IMHI program?

Utkarsh: Never doubt yourself and always take the chance. There is a lot of learning in mistakes but not a lot to learn with regrets. IMHI is a program that will allow you to challenge yourself in a way like never before. It will allow you to build competencies that will set you up for a successful career and it will also allow you to see the world in a new perspective.  I believe at IMHI, you can make the most of opportunities. Grow your network, meet new people and focus on holistic improvement. Invest this time in yourself, learning not just about new subjects but also improving as a person. At IMHI, opportunities are right around the corner, all you need to do is take the first step.

AAIMHI: What are your next steps in your career? 

Utkarsh: So, the dreaded next steps. I think I have spent my last 3 months thinking long and hard about this. Ideally, I would like to pursue my career in the Asset Management or Hotel Development. This would hopefully allow me to gain invaluable experience in the field and present an opportunity for me to apply the learnings I gained throughout my IMHI program, courses from my involvement in the Chaire Immobilier and acquired skills during my time at HVS. 

I aspire to make a difference in this industry and be an usherer of positive change. I know I am going to work hard to achieve this goal. With that said, I want to also continue to improve myself holistically and would love to have a career which allows me an opportunity to grow and realise my ambitions. Anything that comes along the way would be a nice bonus!

Thank you Utkarsh!