Nirav Gandhi, Director of Express Group of Hotels & Resorts, Gujarat, has been elected as the new President of The Hotel And Restaurant Association (Western India) – HRAWI. The appointment was made during HRAWI’s 76th Annual General Meeting (AGM), held in Mumbai on September 10, 2026.
Along with the new President, HRAWI also appointed its Office Bearers for the 2026–27 term. Nirav previously served as the Senior Vice President of the Association, where he was involved in industry discussions and initiatives focused on tourism and hospitality growth across Western India.
In his new role, Nirav will lead HRAWI’s engagement with policymakers and industry stakeholders, while working to strengthen collaboration among hotels, restaurants and allied businesses across the region. The Association will continue to focus on policy advocacy, knowledge sharing, capacity building and initiatives aimed at supporting the hospitality sector.
Nirav has more than three decades of experience in the hospitality industry. 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 more than two decades. He has also held several industry leadership positions, including Hon. Secretary of HRAWI, Executive Committee Member of FHRAI and Founder & Past President of EO Gujarat.
Nirav has represented the hospitality industry before government authorities and regulatory bodies on issues related to FSSAI, hotel classification, taxation, licensing, OTA-related matters, QCI and BIS standards. He also supported the development of IHQS – FHRAI’s hotel classification system and facilitated the establishment of an FSSAI Food Testing Laboratory at Vadodara.
Nirav Gandhi, President, HRAWI said, “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.”
The newly appointed Office Bearers include Paramjit Singh Ghai as Senior Vice President; Gurbir Singh Bedi as Vice President; Pradeep Shetty as Hon. Secretary; Sumit Suri as Jt. Hon. Secretary; and Satyen Jain as Hon. Treasurer.
Nirav further added, “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.”
With his experience across hospitality, industry advocacy and regulatory matters, Nirav will lead HRAWI during the 2026–27 term as the Association continues its work with the hospitality industry across Western India.
