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Vashi2Panvel.com: Navi Mumbai: July 4:At Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Hotel Management & Catering Technology (BVIHMCT) CBD , education is not about attaining a degree but is a sign that a person is prepared for life. It is creating qualitative professionals in terms of knowledge, skill and attitude for the hospitality industry. Vashi2Panvel.com met the Principal Sharad R. Umarji a seasoned professional from hospitality industry. Excerpts of interview:

V2P: Would you tell us about the institute and courses offered by it?
The Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Hotel Management & Catering Technology (BVIHMCT) was started in 1992, by the founder of Bharati Vidyapeeth Dr. Patangrao Kadam. In affiliation with Mumbai University, it started with a 3-year-diploma course, and from 2003 onwards we have started degree courses also. After the successful completion of a three-year-course we offer our students a degree in Bachelor of Hotel Management & Tourism Management studies (BHTMS). The students are taught in all the four key areas of hotel management - Cookery, Service, Reception and Housekeeping.

V2P: What about your experience in the field of Hotel Management?
I studied from Hotel Management Institute Dadar, one of the pioneer institutes of the country in this field , and passed out in 1969. I joined as a Management Trainee the Oberoi Group, Delhi. Subsequently I took over jobs at Mumbai in Ambassador Hotel, Sun-n-sand Hotel, JET airways and then in this institute as Principal.

V2P: How do you groom your students for the course and future jobs?
In addition to focussing on main course, we also expose our students to other fields of management like Marketing, Human Resource, Management Information System, Finance, Information Technology etc. which have become necessity in today's era of competition. Our students are well aware that like a medical practitioner they should be prepared to work round the clock, with a natural smile on the face, if they want to make a career here.

V2P: What are the job opportunity available to your students?
Our students have a great demand in Hotels, airlines, hospitals, industrial canteens and cruise liners. This can be judged through the campus selection process every year when representatives from several reputed establishment including 5 star hotels and airlines turn up in large numbers. To your surprise I shall to tell you now a days BPO/call centres also prefer to take students from institute like ours.

V2P: What about staff in your institute?
We have a dedicated team of about 20 staff members. They are post graduate / MBA having total grip on the subject.

V2P: In the recent case of molestation of a girl in a Mumbai college, what is your opinion about the move by students?
This depends on circumstances of the incident, the past history of the professor could be reviewed, better to appoint the Principal or a Senior staff in the investigation group, in no way union activist should be allowed to handle the issue.

V2P What is your view on the dress code applicable to college students?
By and large jeans and skirts can be commonly seen in colleges of various states of the country. However a decency should be maintained while students select the design and size of such outfits.

Umesh Malviya