THE CHARMERS
TAJ HOTELS | ESTABLISHED IN 1903
TAJ MAHAL PALACE HOTEL, ITDC, OBEROI HOTEL
THE DREAM
The founder of the Tata Group, J.N. Tata, had a vision for his country. He knew that if India was to be acknowledged globally, it had to have a sound economy and strong industry. The hotel he set up—the Taj Mahal Palace in Colaba, Bombay, in 1903—soon became the standard by which all other hotels were judged. Within four years, it was counted among the top hotels in the world by the New York Times. In the years since, the Taj Group’s portfolio has grown by leaps and bounds. Today, the group has 98 hotels across 61 locations.
THE EARLY YEARS
J.N. Tata’s first hotel played a significant role during the Independence movement. In 1916, the Indian Army requisitioned the hotel, turning it into a military hospital
for 500 soldiers and 100 officers. Though this idea proved impractical and was abandoned, the hotel continued to provide subsidised lodging for army officers. Many national figures of the time—including Sarojini Naidu and Muhammad Ali Jinnah—also chose to stay here.
THE ROAD AHEAD
The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), also known as the Taj Group, has unified its properties under a single brand—Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris. Rakesh Sarna joined IHCL as MD & CEO in September 2014. He was instrumental in coining the philosophy of ‘Tajness’, which defines the essence of the brand. Currently, IHCL is focusing on the ‘digital integration’ of its operations, like most hoteliers worldwide. This is because most hotel guests begin their experience of the Taj at the company’s digital touch points—its website and its new mobile app.