The Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) elected Nirav Gandhi as president for the 2026-27 term at its 76th annual general meeting in Mumbai on 10 September 2026. Gandhi is a director of the Express Group of Hotels and Resorts in Gujarat. He had been senior vice president of HRAWI. Paramjit Singh Ghai was appointed senior vice president. PTI reported the association’s statement on 11 September 2026.
HRAWI represents hotels and restaurants across western India and speaks to state and central policy makers on industry issues. Gandhi has more than three decades in hospitality. The association said he will lead engagement with policy makers and work on knowledge sharing and capacity building. Office bearer changes at regional hotel bodies usually set the advocacy agenda for a year.
Our view is that Gujarat hoteliers gain a louder voice inside HRAWI, while the association keeps continuity by promoting its own senior vice president. Restaurants and small hotels in the region will feel the change only if HRAWI picks one or two clear policy fights. September coverage was thin on the agenda Gandhi will push. New HRAWI presidents have often opened with GST, licensing or tourism policy asks within their first quarter. We expect Gandhi to publish a short priority list before the end of 2026, and HRAWI to hold at least one major policy meeting with a state government in western India within six months of the AGM. Confidence: medium.
This is important for our readers because the main western India hotel trade body has a new president, even though the vote was in September. If you run a hotel or restaurant in Maharashtra, Gujarat or Goa, ask your HRAWI chapter what Gandhi’s first agenda items are. If you lobby on GST or licensing, update your contact list for the 2026-27 office bearers. If you sponsor industry events, speak to HRAWI about the new term’s calendar.
Sources:
PTI via ThePrint, 11 Sep 2026
Hospitality Lexis, 11 Sep 2026
Image: Bilal Mansuri via Pexels
Image used just for representational purposes. It may, or may not, have any relevance to the story.
