Hotelier India Power List 2025

As Hotelier India marks its 17th anniversary, we celebrate the leaders who define and drive Indian hospitality.

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The Power List 2025 honours the visionaries shaping the industry's future — those who lead with purpose, innovate with courage, and inspire with impact. This year's Power List has been presented in alphabetical order, underscoring the equal significance of each leader's contribution to the industry's growth and transformation.

In this special edition, Hotelier India also brings you exclusive insights from each of these icons — their leadership mantras, their vision for the future of Indian hospitality, and the legacy they aspire to leave behind for the next generation.

This special edition is a tribute to their foresight, resilience, and relentless pursuit of excellence. As we spotlight these icons, Hotelier India celebrates not just their achievements, but the enduring spirit of an industry that continues to evolve, inspire, and lead on the global stage.

"The future of Indian hospitality in a single phrase? Boundless possibilities, rooted in tradition and powered by innovation."

Ajay K Bakaya Chairman, Sarovar Hotels & Director, Louvre Hotels India

“Sincerity and hard work will always give results,” says Ajay K Bakaya, Chairman of Sarovar Hotels and Director of Louvre Hotels India. It’s a philosophy that has guided him through nearly three decades of leadership, shaping Sarovar from a single shared office table into a network of almost 140 hotels across 85 destinations in India, Nepal, and Africa.

Guiding Principles

Bakaya has been at the forefront of building India’s mid-market hospitality segment. An alumnus of Cornell-ESSEC, France, and the Oberoi School of Learning and Development, he brings global perspective and experience from assignments in India, Australia, Africa, France, and Scotland. His leadership has earned him honours such as FHRAI’s Entrepreneur of the Year and Hotelier India’s CEO of the Year and Hall of Fame awards.