A Quiet, Less Spoken About, A Legacy of his own!

We met with Channi Pantal, now a retired hotelier who served across hotel chains. Now, at 89 years of age, he recalls some of the sterling moments in his career, spanning Oberoi, ITC, Meridien and Suryaa hotels. Here, he talks to Navin Berry, editor.

At the annual conclave of Oberoi Hotels held a few months back, it was announced that I was the first Indian to be designated as General Manager of one of the Oberoi hotels in 1974. Recalling this, how did this come about? 

Earlier, only foreigners were given that post, while Indians were designated as Managers. This brought back nostalgic memories of my career spanning over forty-five years in the industry.

Would you recall that moment, that twist in the journey at Oberoi Hotels?

I was interviewed by Rai Bahadur M.S. Oberoi, then the Chairman of Oberoi Hotels, in Frankfurt in 1963 for the position of Assistant Manager, as Oberoi Intercontinental, New Delhi was soon to open. I was selected and joined Oberoi Hotels as Assistant Manager, Front Office, in December 1964 at the Oberoi Intercontinental, New Delhi.

Prior to this, I was also interviewed by Mr. J.R.D. Tata, who was looking for bright young talent for Air India in New York. At that time, I was under training at a hotel in New York, having completed a two-and-a-half-year course at Salzburg. Although I was selected for Air India, after careful consideration and consultation with friends in the industry, I concluded that it would not be the right decision since my training was in hotel management.

And looking back at your tenure, in those early years?

I worked at the Oberoi Intercontinental, New Delhi, from December 1964 to March 1970. In March 1970, I was promoted as Manager at Maiden’s Hotel, Delhi. After a year, I was transferred to Oberoi Palace, Srinagar, where I worked until 1975.

But then you also worked at ITC? Looking back, recounting your career path?

In 1975, I joined ITC Hotels as General Manager of the Mughal Sheraton, Agra. I spent five years there, from 1975 to 1980. The Mughal Sheraton, Agra, won the Agha Khan Award in 1978 as an outstanding hotel under my jurisdiction. During this period, many Presidents and Prime Ministers who visited India as State guests stayed at the Mughal Sheraton, Agra, for a few days. I had the honour of playing host to them along with the Commissioner of Agra Division.

My next appointment was as General Manager of Searock Sheraton, Mumbai, where I worked from 1980 to 1985. During this period, I was able to attract a glamorous clientele from the film industry, many of whom I had known since my Kashmir days. This made us one of the few hotels with such an illustrious roster.

And then, at Meridien? From where you also headed the first ever forum of General Managers of 18 five star hotels in the capital?

In 1985, I moved to New Delhi to take over as Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Meridien Hotel. I worked there for about twelve years, during which, yes, I was most fortunate, to  also serve as the first President of the Association of Eighteen Five-Star Hotels in New Delhi.

How do you view these high points? 

In brief, this is my career report from 1960 to 2005, including a two-year stint at Hotel Surya, New Delhi, where I upgraded the property to five-star standards. The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, subsequently accorded the hotel its five-star status.

Now, at 89 years of age, my health is reasonably good, and I still play golf two to three times a week.

It would be interesting to recall a few of those moments that stand out in your memory?

Quite a few, actually, but suffice it to choose a few, like you said, as illustrative of my times.

During the months of May and June, which was the high season at the Oberoi Palace, Srinagar the who’s who of the corporate world along with their families were seen enjoying their holidays with us. During this period, Rai Bahadur M.S Oberoi, the chairman of Oberoi hotels would come and stay at the hotel. For me, it was a difficult period because I had to look after the guests and the chairman. My day with Rai Bahadur Oberoi would start at six in the morning when I would accompany him for a morning walk, within the 75 acres of the hotel property. He would come back and have his breakfast and rest, after which I would see him before lunch and his afternoon siesta. Invariably, he would offer me a drink at the bar around 7pm where he would often invite a few guests from the hotel too. After which he’d have his dinner, post which I would drop him back to his room. He was a people’s person, ever ready to meet and greet. I learned a lot from observing him, with his quiet demeanour, and ever ready to help his customer. 

Srinagar must hold a special place in your memories. Any special connections that you must have made during your tenure?

One vivid memory I remember from that time. The chief minister of Kashmir asked me to come and see him in his office one morning. There he informed me that he was constructing a big hospital in Srinagar and made a request, asking me to contribute five lakhs for the hospital. I told him I would have to discuss this with Rai Bahadur MS Oberoi and would come back the next day. I called Rai Bahadur and told him about the demand for the hospital. He immediately said to go tomorrow and tell the chief minister that we will contribute rupees twenty-five thousand every month, as the hospital were to be completed in five years. I admired his business acumen as a big problem was resolved by him within few minutes. It was difficult for us to pay the lumpsum amount; however, this solution made sure we addressed the problem within our means.

Your learning curve, watching Rai Bahadur at close quarters? He was truly the original pioneer of the hotel industry in India? 

From 1971 to 1975 I had the good fortune to work with him (ten months in all, in five years) This gave me insights as to how the corporate world works. He had so much faith in me and as such he would discuss the senior management’s postings (promotions, increments and transfers etc) with me. I still remember on one occasion he asked me for my advice regarding an increment of a senior manager. I gave a number to which he told me “tu baniya kab se ban gaya hai”, so the increment was increased by him. I prided on being frugal, even if it wasn’t my own money. I really enjoyed working with him closely and it was the hallmark of my career, which ultimately culminated to my elevation as the first Indian general manager of Oberoi’s in 1974.

Any unusual incidents, that bring a smile to you? After all, hotels can also witness some scary moments, or just sheer expressions of whimsical behaviour?

One unusual incident that we had to keep under wraps back then, but has left quite an impression on me. The incident happened at midnight, when there was nobody in the hotel gardens. A reputed actress (one of the famous ones at that time, sadly deceased now. May her soul rest in peace) The front of the garden was around a hundred and fifty yards. She was dared by one of her friends to run across the length of the garden bare naked. The tenacious lady accepted the bet and what followed was a spectacle for the guards to witness! They approached me with the news in the morning, which I thought must have been a spectacle to behold!

Talking about eccentric actors and such incidents, I had gone to Pahalgam with some friends, where I met Raj Kumar the actor. I also met another acquaintance who was a big fan of his. I invited the actor to have a drink with me at the bar in the evening, where I also asked said his acquaintance to join us. She came around seven to the bar where we were seated. Raj Kumar looked at her and remarked “aap itni badsurat kyun hain?” (Why are you so ugly?) The lady was obviously offended, and left. I had no words!

Dev Anand was a guest at the hotel, so I invited him for a drink in the evening. Another lady who was also staying with us at the hotel happened to chance upon this information. She had gone for shopping and would return around seven. She was late and reached around eight and rushed straight to the bar where I was sitting. She came and exclaimed “the bloody man Dev Anand was shooting at Dal Lake, so the police had cordoned off the area because of him! I’m sorry I’m late because of him!”
Little did she realise, the man sitting with me was Dev himself. He got up and apologised to her. She was mortified and left in a hurry.

During your ITC days, these were early days, you were at Mughal, I remember. How did that go, any special recall?

I can recall a few incidents around Mr Ajit Narayan Haksar, then the chairman, ITC. He would visit Mughal Sheraton Agra, every fifteen days or, so to look at the hotel’s construction, which I was overseeing. He was a man with extreme humility as he would come to my suit in the hotel and play carrom with my children. He was very much interested in the welfare of his employees. He had a dossier on Mughal Sheraton, Agra, which had names of the important employees, etc and also the names of the employees’ children. He would address most of the people by their name which fascinated me. Once, he asked an employee if his daughter had successfully passed from grade six to seven. How can a man remember such intricate details about so many individuals? I happened to ask this to him once, which is when he told me about his dossier trick. During his flight from Calcutta to Delhi, he revised the document to remember all the details. He was a lesson on how to treat one’s employees, which in turn would lead to better productivity.

Another incident is very vivid in my memory at Searock Sheraton, Mumbai, when I was one day returning around midnight after a dinner. As I entered the hotel lobby, I saw a sardarji coming out of the jewellery shop which was located next to the reception in the lobby. I was quite sure that the jewellery shop had no sardarji as an employee. Seeing me, he started to run with a handbag, so I shouted at him to stop and succeeded in my security to catch him. In his bag he had jewellery worth about 20 lakhs (in 1982) and he had makeup of a sardarji beard whereas he had no hair. We handed him over to the police. The owners of the jewellery shop were very thankful to me and I told them it was pure luck that I was returning late to the hotel after dinner around midnight, that we were able to catch the culprit.

So, an eventful career, a mix of great fortune, happy moments and even happier recall. A noble soul who always preached goodness in all his endeavours.