Regency Leadership Awards 2025–26 Honours Excellence in Hospitality Education and Industry

Hyderabad's Regency College of Culinary Arts & Hotel Management, affiliated with Osmania University, celebrated its 2025–26 awards ceremony at Taramati Baradari, bringing together industry leaders and academics to recognize contributions to hospitality education and professional excellence.

The gathering was attended by Chief Guest Smt. A. Vani Prasad (IAS), Special Chief Secretary, Tourism, Culture & Heritage, Government of Telangana, alongside CMA Dr. Gaddam Naresh Reddy, Professor of Commerce at Osmania University, who served as Guest of Honor. Prominent scholar Prof. S. Jithender Kumar Naik was also present as a Special Invitee.

After opening remarks and cultural presentations, Principal P. Ramesh Kumar Reddy delivered the Annual Report, detailing the college's academic performance, infrastructure expansion, and student achievements in competitions across regional and national platforms.

Industry Recognition

Chef Sudha Kumar received the Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing over two decades of service in hospitality education and industry advancement. Kumar previously served as Joint Director of the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation and held the position of Head of Department for Food Production at IHM Hyderabad.

The Grand Regent category honoured senior hospitality professionals, including Shrikant Wakharkar (General Manager & Area Vice President, South & West, Park Hyatt Hyderabad), Vishal Srivastava (General Manager, Taj Vivanta), Ekant Sabharwal (General Manager, Hotel Golkonda), Chef Naveen Nagaraj (Corporate Chef, Tatva and Secretary of the Telangana Chefs Association), and Chef Ramesh Yadav (Executive Chef, Hotel Abode).

Elite Regent Awards went to HR leaders demonstrating excellence in organizational development: Vaishali Shahi (Director HR, Park Hyatt Hyderabad), Sonia D'Cunha (Director HR, Hilton Hyderabad Genome Valley Resort & Spa), Kiran Preet Kaur (Multi-Property Director HR, Marriott Hotel & Convention Centre and Courtyard by Marriott Hyderabad), Sujith Nambiar (Director HR, Taj Krishna), and Ravikant Tiberwal (Director Finance, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre).

Alumni Recognition

The Star Regent category celebrated accomplished alumni, including Rahul Martis (F&B Consultant, Plategasm OG India Pvt Ltd), Lakshmi Kanth (Director & Co-founder, Uni Planet Overseas Education), Mukesh Rachakonda (Assistant Sales Manager, ITC Kohenur), and Chef Vijayalakshmi (Junior Pastry Sous Chef in the luxury hospitality sector).

Student Achievements

Manish was crowned Mr. Regency 2025–26, while Athiya Khan received the Ms. Regency 2025–26 title. The Cuchillos Kitchen Club, led by Prashanth Kadali, claimed the Outstanding Club Performance award, with the Editorial Club, led by Sai Manish, finishing as runner-up.

Institutional Milestone

The ceremony featured cultural performances and the launch of the annual publication "ECHO 2026," documenting the college's institutional journey. The event benefited from support extended by Telangana Tourism, reinforcing connections between academic institutions and industry stakeholders.

Principal Reddy emphasized that the awards ceremony aims to recognize and motivate leading figures in hospitality, current students, and alumni. He acknowledged faculty contributions to innovative training approaches and acknowledged the strong placement record of graduates in senior roles across international hotel chains. He noted the rising demand for hotel management and culinary arts programmes among students completing secondary and higher secondary education, positioning such qualifications as gateways to global career opportunities in the hospitality sector.