t2 sat down for a special chat with Modhurima Sinha, area director of PR for East and North East at Taj (IHCL), who completes 25 years with the organisation this month, to explore the ethos and values of the organisation that make it an employee-friendly and growth-oriented enterprise.
Tell us a little bit about Taj’s overall ethos when it comes to employees.
This an equal space. A space where everyone is treated in the same fashion, and mutual respect is a byword. Irrespective of age, sex, and experience, Taj is a place of equal opportunities for all. That sets the tone for a healthy workspace and the support system is both warm and professional. All women are empowered here. She is the Taj. She remains the Taj!
How has the Taj as an organisation helped you attain your personal goals in life?
I come from an academic background studying literature and arts. I was completing my MPhil after my Master’s Degree from Presidency College in English and working as a journalist when this job was offered to me. I was visiting Taj Bengal for a Karen Anand-curated lunch by the poolside and I refused promptly when offered the job. However, something appealed to me and my mother and husband encouraged me to take it up as an adventure. The Taj allowed me to continue writing and I gave up being a full-time journalist but continued to do the photography reviews in the The Telegraph Friday paper. And I continue to write. When I wanted to pursue filmmaking I was able to do so because I was given the space.
Joining Taj was probably the best decision in my life. It structured my mind and opened up multiple avenues in a job that was dynamic and challenging but did not let me get bored for a single moment. I discovered I was a multitasker and enjoyed juggling activities. PR and Marcom is a back-office role dealing with media advertising and marketing. But I was working with 600 colleagues, multiple agencies and hundreds of people were in and out of my life. The experience humbled me and made me understand people. Also working for a large organisation has its advantages. It was never restricted to one hotel only. I was travelling to other hotels for training programmes, workshops and every day unravelled for me new treasures.
I became a focussed person and my priorities got sorted. What I lacked was self-discipline. The Taj inculcated that in me and I was able to do several other things better because of that. The equation between colleagues is a definite high. The morning begins with planning and I am obsessed with planning. Marketing campaigns, media visits, overall positioning strategy, we had to be the trendsetters and it was always teamwork.
Apart from your position in PR how has the organisation given you avenues to shape your overall career trajectory?
My job description itself was dynamic. Everything I have loved in my life was possible and a reality at Taj. I started book readings and the Kolkata Film Festival we were partners. Imagine, I was chatting with Ruskin Bond in 1999 and launching Vikram Seth’s Two Lives a year later. I was having lunch with Zanussi at Chinoiserie. It was beyond all expectations. Curating cultural experiences for our guests became a passion and soon the best events were happening here. Music, art, theatre and more. And I was travelling, the reason I live...
Whether articles, books, making films, I’ve managed to do all, along with a child, because the company offers work-life balance. But everywhere I am from the Taj. For example, when I visit Cannes or Venice for film festivals, everyone knows I’m from the Taj.
Employees of the Taj are their biggest ambassadors. To what do you owe this belief?
If I represent an organisation like the Taj, I become not only responsible but also learn to take ownership, at work and in my personal life. Everything I do will reflect upon my company and that makes me sensitive. Being part of the Tata group is a privilege. The learning curve is huge, the ethos seeps in and we start owning the value system. How I talk, how I dress, who I interact with, all of it reflect the Taj ethos. And the brand strength is simply mind-boggling. Not just in India, across the world today several people know of the Taj as the leading hotel chain in South Asia with international footprints.
As a woman, how has the organisation accommodated your requirements?
In every possible way. Equal opportunities, growth, maternity support. I worked till the last day of my pregnancy and went to hospital straight from office. The support during my pregnancy and after was amazing. And today we have creches in our hotels to support working mothers. But even beyond motherhood, the Taj understands women and involves them in a policy that is truly inclusive. Women are part of policymaking so automatically that becomes user-friendly.
Take us through some of the women and CSR-oriented policies at the Taj.
Crèches, maternity leaves, flexible hours in emergencies. We are all part of various voluntary services because community is critical. Sustainability and heritage are also important to us. Supporting local artists, which is seen at the Promenade Lounge at Taj Bengal. Bengal artisans like the patachitra makers of Pingla. At Raajkutir we have a local dance form like the Chhau, Baul music and more every evening for guests. We work with multiple NGOs to help the community.
Over your 25-year tenure, what have been some moments when you’ve felt the most acknowledged?
Too many to mention really. However, the fact that I take care of the entire region now brings in a lot of satisfaction. Recognition and awards over the years bring in fulfilment. I mentor young employees in various Tata companies across the country. The fact that people trust me not just in the industry but outside it too.
Professionally, how has this quarter-century career trajectory panned out for you at the Taj?
The current vision is to see an explosion in the East and North East with new hotels and destinations every day. To watch five hotels in Calcutta, and the stunning North East opening up. To celebrate the centenary and now the 120 years. It began with new restaurants like Souk, Hub, Cal 27, and then started new hotels. To see new verticals become successful like the QMin. From one hotel (Taj Bengal) in 1999 to 29 hotels across the region today has been an exhilarating journey. And the future is full of excitement as we enter new states and regions, exploring the Himalayas, tea gardens and new cities. Every time a new destination opens up, it throws up new cuisines, new cultural details new landscapes and unique icons. Each hotel belongs to a specific brand, could be Taj, could be Vivanta, could be SeleQtions, positioning each with its own idiosyncratic personality becomes a journey in itself. IHCL is at a phenomenal juncture right now and I love watching it spread its wings everywhere. I am so glad that I am part of this growth and feel grateful to be able to experience it all.
What would be your advice to future generations looking for a career in the hospitality industry?
Trust and take the plunge if you have the knack for dynamism and variety.
