TALKing People

For Dietmar Kielnhofer, Area Vice President, Hyatt West India and General Manager of Grand Hyatt Mumbai Hotel & Residences, reading a good book is always healing. He is also a fitness enthusiast, passionate about skiing and golfing. He loves to cook. He has circled three continents and worked in major cities such as Tokyo, London, Sun City – South Africa, Istanbul, Bangkok, Vienna, Mallorca and Zermatt. His favourite holiday destinations include Kolkata, Ladakh, Paris, Rome and Vienna. His next holiday will be to Uzbekistan (the Silk Road) or Tibet.

In his leisure, Venu Gopal, General Manager, ibis Hyderabad Hitec City, researches and tries forgotten cuisines from the South. “This is the best way to destress for me. In fact, I picked up cooking during the lockdown and have tried many new recipes since.” he says. His favorite holiday destination is the Nilgiris. “I think our country has so much beauty, unexplored by many. I would now love to visit Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand,” Gopal shares.

Dhananjay Sawalkar, Director of the Directorate of Tourism, Maharashtra Tourism, Government of Maharashtra, does vipassana meditation to de-stress himself on a daily basis. During the lockdown, he has even learned to cook the traditional Maharashtrian dish 'kanda-poha'. Sawalkar also ensures that he takes a 10 to 15 days break annually to go on a holiday. “I recently visited Chikhaldara in Maharashtra, which has become my current favorite.My next holiday will be Velneshwar near Guhagar in Ratnagiri,” he says.