The growth of a new hotel chain

17 April 2006

Chennai: He cooked dinner for his whole family as a student. Today, he manages one of the fastest growing hotel groups in the South.

"My father wanted his boys not to be dependent on anybody for anything including their meals. So my brothers and I took turns to cook the Sunday dinner for the family," muses 57-year old M O Koshy, senior vice president, GRT Hotels and Resorts.

What initially started as a family chore later turned out to be a profession for Koshy and his two brothers. This hotelier, who learnt cooking to be independent, now whips up excellent desserts at home. Moreover, when there is an unexpected deluge of guests at home, his wife summons him to chop the onions, something he does with express speed.

After completing his bachelor's degree in botany from the University of Madras, Koshy joined the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition in Chennai. After passing, he joined the Connemara Hotel in 1972 and a year later was heading the newly set up inflight catering division. Subsequently, he headed the Airport Hotel at Meenambakkam in Chennai, which the Connemara had acquired from the Spencer's group. Koshy managed the inflight needs of Air India apart from the passengers.

In 1995 he decided to join GRT Hotels and Resorts as general manager, projects. The company was then building its first hotel, the GRT Grand in Chennai. Promoted by GR Thanga Maaligai, a jewellry shop, GRT Hotels and Resorts has a turnover of around Rs86 crore from managing five hotels — three owned and two under management licence — that have a combined capacity of 399 rooms of which 306 are owned by GRT and the other 93 are licenced. The group owns properties in the business, airport and beach resort segments.