Sarovar Hotels Appoints Ankur Chandra as Senior Director – Development

Gurugram, April 2026: Sarovar Hotels has announced the rejoining of Ankur Chandra as Senior Director – Development.

With over 23 years of experience in hotel operations and development, Ankur brings strong expertise in driving growth and expanding hotel portfolios across diverse markets. Over the course of his career, he has held key leadership roles across operations and development functions with leading hospitality brands. Prior to rejoining Sarovar Hotels, he was associated with IHCL as Corporate Director – Real Estate & Development.

In his new role at Sarovar Hotels, Ankur will be responsible for leading development initiatives and driving new hotel signings, supporting the group’s continued expansion across key domestic and international markets.

Commenting on the appointment, Rajesh Ranjan, Sr. VP – Development, Sarovar Hotels said: “We are delighted to welcome Ankur back to Sarovar Hotels. His deep understanding of the hospitality landscape, coupled with his proven track record in development, will be instrumental as we accelerate our expansion strategy. We are confident that his leadership will further strengthen our growth pipeline and reinforce our presence across high-potential markets.”

Ankur’s return comes at a time when Sarovar Hotels is focused on strengthening its development pipeline and expanding its footprint across emerging and established destinations.

About Sarovar Hotels: Sarovar Hotels Pvt. Ltd. is a leading hotel management company and one of the fastest-growing chains of hotels in India. Headed by a team of industry veterans, the company manages over 150 operational hotels in 87 destinations across India, Nepal, and Africa, under the Sarovar Premiere, Sarovar Portico, Hometel, and Golden Tulip brands. Sarovar Hotels covers the Budget – Economy, Midscale – Upper Midscale & Upscale spectrum and also operates a Corporate Hospitality Services division for business schools and corporate institutions.

With 17 regional sales & reservations offices across India, Sarovar Hotels is among the country’s most diverse hotel management companies. Sarovar Hotels is part of the Paris-headquartered Group Du Louvre, a major player in the global hospitality industry, managing a portfolio of 1700 hotels across 60 countries.

Sarovar Hotels Elevates Miellé Batliwala to Vice President – Human Resources

Gurugram, January 2026: Sarovar Hotels has announced the promotion of Mielle Batliwala to the role of Vice President – Human Resources. This elevation underscores the company’s focus on strengthening leadership depth and building future-ready organisational capabilities.

Since joining Sarovar Hotels two years ago, Mielle has played a pivotal role in stabilising and strengthening the Human Resources function, streamlining organisational processes, and enhancing overall service delivery standards. Her leadership has contributed significantly to creating a more structured, responsive, and people-centric HR ecosystem.

A key highlight of her tenure has been driving automation and digitisation initiatives across HR and Learning & Development. These initiatives have enabled greater transparency, improved compliance, and operational efficiency, while laying a strong foundation for scalable growth. Under her stewardship, the HR and L&D functions are well-positioned to support Sarovar Hotels next phase of capability building and talent development.

Commenting on the elevation, Ajay Bakaya, Chairman, Sarovar Hotels, said: “Mielle’s elevation is a recognition of her strong leadership, strategic mindset, and ability to build resilient systems that support our people and our growth ambitions. At Sarovar, we strongly believe in nurturing women leaders and creating equal opportunities for talent to thrive. Her journey reflects our commitment to inclusive leadership and developing capable leaders from within the organisation.”

Mielle’s elevation reflects Sarovar Hotels continued investment in leadership development and its commitment to building strong internal capabilities that support long-term growth and operational excellence.

Sarovar Hotels Appoints Nitika Khanna as Director of Marketing and Communications

Sarovar Hotels has appointed Nitika Khanna as its Director of Marketing and Communications, strengthening its leadership team as it focuses on brand growth and market positioning in the hospitality sector.

Nitika brings extensive experience in brand management, strategic partnerships, and digital marketing. She has previously worked with Yatra, FCB ULKA, Euro RSCG, UTV, and ORG-Marg, contributing to their marketing and communications strategies. Her role at Sarovar Hotels will focus on expanding the brand’s communication outreach and enhancing its market presence.

Akshay Thusoo, Senior Vice President – Commercial, Sarovar Hotels, said, "We are delighted to have Nitika join us at Sarovar Hotels. Her leadership and deep understanding of marketing and communications will play a crucial role in shaping our brand narrative and fostering meaningful stakeholder connections. We look forward to her valuable contributions."

With her experience, Nitika will lead Sarovar Hotels' marketing and communication initiatives, aligning them with the company’s strategic objectives.