As CEO of the Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council (THSC), Mr. Rajan Bahadur is at the forefront of India’s skilling revolution. In this candid interview, he shares his passion-driven approach to leading THSC and building a workforce that powers the future of hospitality, tourism, and medical wellness sectors—both in India and abroad.
Mr. Bahadur, could you briefly describe your leadership journey and what inspired you to take the helm of the Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council (THSC)?
Throughout my 35+ year career, I’ve had the privilege of navigating diverse industries—ranging from FMCG and financial services to travel, tourism, hospitality, and now the social sector. Each transition wasn’t just a career move but a conscious decision to challenge myself, deepen my understanding of new domains, and contribute meaningfully wherever I went. These varied experiences have not only sharpened my professional capabilities but also instilled in me a strong sense of empathy and purpose.
What truly inspired me to lead THSC was the opportunity to bring all these learnings together to make a tangible difference. In this role, I saw a unique intersection of my passion for hospitality and my commitment to building human capital. It’s deeply fulfilling to work on empowering youth, strengthening industry linkages, and contributing to national skill development—while drawing from a lifetime of diverse leadership lessons.
What is the core mission of THSC, and how do you envision it transforming India’s tourism and hospitality workforce?
The core mission of the Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council (THSC) is to empower India’s youth with industry-relevant skills, enhance employability, and bridge the demand–supply gap in the tourism and hospitality sector. We aim to create a robust, future-ready workforce that meets both domestic and global industry standards.
My vision is to see THSC not just as a certifying body, but as a catalyst for transformation—by aligning skill development with real industry needs, promoting apprenticeships, fostering global partnerships, and ensuring inclusive growth. Ultimately, we aspire to make India a global hub for skilled talent in tourism and hospitality, driving both economic growth and social impact.
What key achievements has THSC accomplished under your leadership that you believe have significantly impacted the industry?
Under my leadership, THSC has strategically focused on aligning skilling initiatives with real industry demand while fostering inclusive, future-ready growth. Some of the most impactful achievements include:
- Training and Certifications:
• We have mapped 70 job roles across NSQF levels, including 19 new courses focused on Adventure Tourism and 3 in Future Skills such as digital and sustainable practices.
• Under PMKVY 4.0 Special Projects, over 12,000 individuals have been trained in key hospitality roles across Jammu & Kashmir, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and the North East states.
• Under the Hunar Se Rozgar Tak initiative, THSC has trained 80,000+ candidates, empowering them with skills and facilitating employment opportunities across the tourism and hospitality sector.
• Through the VISA–THSC RPL Program, the initiative aims to upskill and certify over 20,000 individuals in three years.
• Our Recruit–Train–Deploy (RTD) model has gained traction, with 2,000+ candidates enrolled in partnership with reputed brands such as The Oberoi Group, Marriott, Sarovar Hotels, Royal Orchid, JLL, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts, and Westin—ensuring a direct pipeline from training to employment. - Apprenticeship Promotion:
• We have facilitated the registration of 1,900+ establishments under NAPS, leading to over 102,000 apprenticeship contracts, preparing youth for on-the-job learning and long-term careers. - CSR-led Skilling Initiatives:
• We’ve collaborated with industry leaders like Chalet Hotels, Indigo Airlines, and Radisson Hotel Group. These CSR projects focus on empowering underserved and rural populations with market-relevant skills and job readiness. - Robust Industry Collaboration:
• With a network of 750+ industry partners, THSC generates over 400,000 job demands annually, ensuring that all skilling efforts are driven by the real-time needs of the tourism and hospitality sector.
• India’s strong showing in WorldSkills Competitions—including 3 Silver, 4 Bronze, and 7 Medallions of Excellence—highlights the global competitiveness of THSC-trained candidates. - Research & Insights for Policy and Planning:
• We’ve conducted one of India’s most comprehensive Skill Gap Studies, covering 26 states and UTs, 120 districts, 500 employers, 1,000 institutes, and 10,000 students—helping drive data-backed skilling strategies at scale. - Digital Learning and Access:
• We launched 27 free e-books, making high-quality training material accessible to learners and professionals nationwide.
These achievements reflect our commitment to transforming India’s tourism and hospitality workforce into a globally competitive, inclusive, and future-ready talent pool.
India has seen significant growth in medical tourism. What role does THSC play in preparing a workforce ready to support this sector?
THSC plays an important role in supporting the growth of medical tourism by training individuals in key hospitality and service roles that enhance the overall experience for international patients. We focus on skills like front office operations, guest relations, housekeeping, and food & beverage services—ensuring patients and their families feel comfortable and well cared for during their stay in India.
We also promote soft skills like communication, empathy, and cultural sensitivity, which are essential when dealing with international guests. Through our training programs, we help hospitals, hotels, and wellness centers hire skilled staff who can meet global service standards, making India a preferred destination for medical and wellness tourism.
What are the most pressing skill gaps you’ve identified across the tourism and hospitality value chain in India?
Through extensive engagement with industry partners and our pan-India Skill Gap Study, we’ve identified several critical skill gaps across the tourism and hospitality value chain:
- Soft Skills & Customer Service:
Many candidates lack strong communication, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills—essential for guest-facing roles. - Digital & Tech Skills:
As the industry adopts digital tools for bookings, check-ins, feedback, and service automation, there is a growing need for digital literacy and comfort with hospitality tech platforms. - Multi-Skilling & Flexibility:
Employers increasingly seek staff who can take on multiple responsibilities, but most job seekers are trained for narrow, specific roles. - Language Proficiency:
Especially in tourist-heavy regions, the ability to communicate in English and other foreign languages is limited, affecting guest experience. - Awareness of Sustainability & Hygiene Standards:
With growing global expectations, there’s a gap in understanding eco-friendly practices, hygiene protocols, and safety norms—particularly post-pandemic. - Industry-Ready Mindset:
There is often a disconnect between training and real-world expectations—many candidates are not fully prepared for long hours, service culture, or handling diverse customer needs.
We are addressing these gaps through targeted curriculum updates, industry-aligned training programs, digital modules, and apprenticeship-based learning models to make the workforce more agile, employable, and future-ready.
What makes India a globally competitive destination for medical tourism, and how can skilling enhance our service standards in this area?
India is a leading destination for medical tourism because it offers world-class healthcare at affordable costs, supported by highly qualified doctors, advanced medical technology, and shorter waiting times. Additionally, many hospitals in India are internationally accredited, and treatments often include traditional wellness options like Ayurveda and yoga, creating a holistic healing experience.
To support this growth, it’s important to strengthen the non-clinical side of the patient experience. This includes skilling hospitality staff, front office executives, and support service professionals in areas like communication, cultural understanding, hygiene, and empathetic care. At THSC, we are aligning our training to these needs to ensure that India not only delivers great medical outcomes but also excellent patient experiences.
How does THSC address inclusivity—especially gender representation and opportunities for the differently abled—in the tourism and hospitality workforce?
Inclusivity is central to THSC’s mission of building a skilled and diverse workforce. To promote gender representation, THSC launched its flagship Women Empowerment Initiative in August 2024. The program successfully trained and placed 150 women across leading hospitality brands such as Hilton, The Oberoi, Deltin, Raffles Udaipur, and Ritz-Carlton Bangalore, offering monthly salaries of ₹15,000–₹25,000. The initiative included technical and soft skills training, preparing women for roles in housekeeping, front office, and F&B services. Following its success, the program is being scaled up to benefit 300 more women in 2025.
For the differently abled, THSC adapts training programs to ensure accessibility and inclusion. We work with industry partners to provide job opportunities in roles like reservations, guest support, and backend operations, supported by sensitized trainers and inclusive learning environments.
Through such targeted initiatives, THSC is committed to creating a more equitable and future-ready tourism and hospitality workforce.
How do you ensure that the skills imparted translate into meaningful employment or entrepreneurial opportunities for trainees?
At THSC, our focus is not just on training—but on ensuring that skills lead to real, sustainable livelihoods. We achieve this through a robust ecosystem of strong network of over 780 industry partners, representing more than 5,000 hospitality units, who regularly provide us with demand data, job vacancies, and internship opportunities across India.
Our training is designed to be outcome-driven, with strong alignment to actual industry needs. We provide skilling in diverse job roles such as Street Food Vendor, Tour Guide, Guest House Caretaker, F&B Service Associate, and others—enabling both employment and self-employment.
To ensure impact, THSC actively tracks placements post-training through dedicated teams. We work closely with employers to ensure that trainees are not only placed but also retained and supported during the initial months of employment.
How is THSC preparing the Indian workforce for the global tourism market and international mobility?
THSC is actively enabling international mobility by aligning its training with global occupational standards and promoting NSQF-certified skill development. Over the past two years, we’ve seen a 70–80% increase in demand for Indian hospitality professionals from international markets.
Through our strong industry network and curriculum, THSC is preparing talent for high-demand roles such as F&B Service Associates, Commis Chefs, Guest Relations Executives, and Housekeeping Attendants. Our candidates are being hired by leading global employers—such as luxury hotel chains, airline lounges, QSR brands (e.g., McDonald’s, Tim Hortons), and wellness retreats—especially across GCC nations, Southeast Asia, and Europe.
Indian workers trained under THSC are valued globally for their discipline, adaptability, English fluency, and strong customer service orientation. Salaries abroad are 3–5 times higher than in India and often come with free accommodation, meals, transportation, and insurance—making them especially attractive to youth from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
Finally, what message would you like to share with young Indians aspiring to join the tourism and hospitality industry?
To all young aspirants stepping into the world of tourism and hospitality—remember, there are no shortcuts to growth. This industry rewards effort, discipline, and dedication. Every role you take on, no matter how small, is a stepping stone toward personal and professional excellence.
Always remember: no one has ever failed by working hard. Success in this sector comes from consistently showing up with integrity, humility, and a willingness to serve. And while your individual talent matters, no one is bigger than the brand or the team. Collaboration and teamwork will always elevate your impact and the guest experience.
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Mr. Rajan Bahadur
CEO, Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council
An extensive cross-industrious exposure of over 35 years, has credited Mr. Bahadur with rich management experience and strong leadership skills from across sectors such as FMCG, Travel and Tourism, Financial services, Hospitality and Social Sector.
A graduate from the prestigious St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi, India, Mr. Bahadur completed his post-graduation in Business Management from Kolkata University, India. He has managed large cross- cultural teams across national and global platforms covering a wide range of senior positions in sales, marketing, PR, communication & general management.
A highly motivated individual with strong commercial acumen and inherent people leadership qualities, he has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to build high performance teams across both Corporate and Social Sectors that he has been associated with. His passion and motivation stems from creating solutions to leverage opportunities presented by market needs.
His well-established relationships in the corporate world as well as with Government bodies are a result of his hard work and splendid communication skills. His previous assignments include being MD & CEO – CARE India, COO of Unison Hotels, MD at Lebua Hotels & Resorts, Regional Director (South Asia) – Sales, Marketing, PR & Communication at Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Director at American Express – Travel related services and National Sales head with Oberoi Hotels and Resorts.
In his current capacity as the CEO of Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council (a public private partnership under the aegis of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Govt. of India), Mr. Bahadur’s vision is to bridge the ever-increasing gap in the skill ecosystem. His focus is on empowering the youth with appropriate skills, so that they are ready to be placed in the Tourism and Hospitality sector as per the ever-growing industry demand/ requirement.
He is extremely passionate about creating business solutions, making the most of the opportunities presented by the market, delivering on stakeholder’s expectations, reaching customer commitment targets, and enhancing employee engagement goals. His motto in life is to build capacity and bring change that can make lives better.