- IHCL, ANIIDCO, Tata Strive to train 250 Andaman hospitality workers.
- Initiative supports tourism workforce development.
- Tata STRIVE to lead training; IHCL to provide expertise.
INDIAN HOTELS CO. Ltd., Andaman & Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corp. and Tata Strive will train and certify 250 hospitality workers in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The initiative supports workforce development in the islands' tourism sector.
The program, announced on World Youth Skills Day, will begin with a recognition of prior learning initiative for hospitality personnel at hotels, restaurants, resorts and other establishments, IHCL said in a statement. It will be implemented in Sri Vijayapuram, Swaraj Dweep and Shaheed Dweep, covering front office management, food and beverage service, housekeeping, kitchen operations, multi-cuisine cooking, bakery and guest house operations.
“As India’s hospitality sector maintains its strong growth trajectory, structured, high-quality vocational training has become a national priority,” said K. Mohanchandran, IHCL senior vice president of operations for East and Northeast. “This partnership with Tata STRIVE and ANIIDCO will enhance employability, service excellence and livelihood opportunities for island youth and existing hospitality professionals while strengthening the tourism ecosystem of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.”
Tata STRIVE will lead training, assessment and certification, while IHCL will provide industry expertise and knowledge support through its hospitality operations in the islands. ANIIDCO, a government enterprise of the Andaman & Nicobar Administration, is supporting the initiative to develop tourism and infrastructure in the Union Territory.
Ameya Vanjari, Tata STRIVE COO, said the IHCL-Tata STRIVE collaboration has supported tourism and hospitality skilling.
“At Tata STRIVE, we are committed to creating pathways to sustainable livelihoods through industry-aligned skills development,” he said. “This collaboration enhances professional competencies and strengthens employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in the tourism and hospitality sector.”
Tourism is a key contributor to the islands’ economies, said Chanchal Yadav, ANIIDCO managing director. Growth and future planning require a skilled workforce, he said.
“This partnership will support professional development across the islands and enrich the long-term growth of the Union Territory’s tourism sector,” Yadav said.
IHCL said the initiative is part of its ESG+ framework, Paathya, through which the company aims to skill 100,000 youth by 2030. Since 2020, IHCL has expanded its skilling network to more than 80 centers across India and trained more than 49,000 people to support employment in tourism destinations.
In February, the Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council conducted the IndiaSkills 2026 regional competitions from Feb. 2 to 14 at C V Raman Global University in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The competition featured 156 participants.
