New Delhi, July 25, 2018: The Maharashtra State Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology was established in the year 1969, at Nagpur, with a view to impart vocational skills in cookery, bakery and food processing. Earlier famously known as the Food Craft Institute, this Institute shifted to Pune in the year 1975 while continuing to offer craftsmanship courses. Over the past five decades, the Institute has progressed significantly, and built a reputation in providing quality education in hospitality and tourism with various programmes under its banner.
With fifty years of rich experience, the Institute has been a pioneer in launching various programmes in hospitality and tourism. In the year 1982, the Institute started with three years Diploma in Hotel Management & Catering Technology, being the second oldest college in Maharashtra to do so. It was also the first to introduce a three years Diploma in Travel and Tourism in the year 1993. Consistent academic excellence has earned the institute an autonomous status since 1995. The institute also conducts Advanced Diploma in Hospitality Operations and Advanced Diploma in Travel and Tourism for Post Graduates and a two years HSVC (earlier Minimum Competency Vocational Courses), affiliated to the State Board of Higher and Secondary Education of Maharashtra.
In 2003, the Institute introduced the four years Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Hotel Management and Catering Technology, affiliated to Savitribai Phule Pune University. The Institute is presently the only one in the country to have launched a two years full-time Master’s programme in Hotel Management & Catering Technology in the year 2012, which is recognized by the All India Council of Technical Education.
Well-qualified and experienced faculty, state of art laboratories like training restaurants, kitchens, a banquet hall and a 200 seating capacity auditorium are some of the note-worthy features of the Institute. It is one amongst a few Institutes, that has a well-equipped 30 rooms Hospitality Training Centre, and a Travel desk where students get hands on experience in the required training areas by dealing with real guests and handling real time situations. So the students who graduate are at par with the industry expectations and hence get hired by the best hospitality and tourism brands like J.W. Marriott, Conrad, Westin, the Taj group, The Oberoi group, The Leela group, Thomas Cook, Cox and Kings, FCM Travel Solutions, Veena World, Kesari Tours, etc through campus placements.
The alumni of this Institute over the years are placed at enviable positions in the field of hospitality and tourism around the globe. Some of our illustrious alumni include internationally acclaimed Pastry Chef, Anil Rohira; Celebrity Chefs – Nilesh Limaye and Shailendra Kekade; renowned Food stylist- Nitin Tandon; Praful Chandavarkar – owner of the famous Malakka Spice chain of restaurants; Sandeep Soparkar – internationally acclaimed choreographer. Sheetal Shinde, Director-India, Happy Tours, a European Travel Company; Manali Dixit, Director Mustang Holdays & Events, Deep Bhong , Director, BTW Visa Services, acclaimed in the corporate world for Visa Services and Shweta Dange, CEO, Travel Vista, a travel company specialized in customized tours are some of our students who are very successful entrepreneurs in the tourism sector today while many like Saurabh Jahagirdar, Branch Manager and Ruchita Kadam, Sr.Manager, Travel Tours, retail outlet of FCM Travel Solutions, a topmost travel company in the world are working at top positions in multinational companies of the tourism sector.
To fulfill the Institute’s role towards social responsibility, it offers Continuing Education Programmes for the Army (GREF), State Reserve Police Force and Pune Municipal Corporation. The Institute today has partnered with Corporates like Rich’s, Rational, Maharashtra Centre for Entrepreneurship Development, Weikfield, Bharat Vikas Group and many others, for exchange of technology as well as imparting training.
To commemorate this long and fruitful journey across five decades, we are celebrating the Golden jubilee of the Institute this year. There are events planned throughout the year which will involve students, faculty, alumni, industry and the society at large. Seminars, events like World Tourism Day, Bread Day, and Competitions are a few of the important functions planned. For the first time in the history of Pune, the Institute proposes to felicitate fifty eateries/restaurants/cafes, etc, which have been a part of Pune city for over the past fifty years as a mark of appreciation for their service. Ex-students, who have achieved the pinnacle of success will also be invited; and their efforts recognized by their alma mater.
Students have recently taken part in assisting warkaris in association with Pune Municipal Corporation, when they were in Pune for the annual Pandharpur Palkhi. They will also be taking part in cleaning of heritage structures in the city in association with the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation.
The Institute is proud to celebrate the Golden Jubilee and looks forward to continue to contribute to education in the field of hospitality and tourism in Pune.
Corporate Comm India(CCI NewsWire)
