Remembering Dr Ramesh Kapur - The Legendary Man Behind Radisson Delhi

In an Instagram post on August 25, 2024, Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi shared the sad news of the passing of Dr Ramesh Kapur, chairman of the hotel.

Dr Ramesh Kapur

Dr Kapur was considered a visionary in the field of hospitality. He received a Master's Degree in Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. He worked with Central Building Research Institute in Roorkee and United Limited before joining Radisson Blu Delhi as the chairman and managing director in 2003. Radisson Blu was Carlson Rezidor's flagship Radisson Blu hotel in India.

It was under Dr Kapur's leadership that Radisson Blu, just another airport hotel in the country, became a popular name in India's hospitality sector. His guidance made the hotel a durable F&B destination with food offerings of different cuisines. Because of his direction, Neung Roi, a Thai restaurant by Radisson Blu Delhi, and The Great Kebab Factory, an Indian restaurant by Radisson Blu Delhi, won several awards and became reputed names in the food industry. Dr Kapur was also the first Indian owner of a Carlson Rezidor hotel who was honoured with the 'Carlson Fellow' title.

The Radisson Dream

Though Dr Kapur achieved many new heights of success with Radisson Blu Delhi, opening its doors was a tough feat at the time for him. The plot for the hotel, a 5.5-acre plot that was meant to a 21-room motel, got stuck in legal disputes between the Delhi Development Authority and the Airports Authority of India. 15 months later, when the matter was resolved, Dr Kapur approached Carlson and the new Radisson hotel in Delhi came into existence with Dr Kapur as its leader.

Talking of the experience with BW Hotelier in 2016, Dr Kapur said, "My relationship with the Carlson Group has always been very warm and friendly since 1995, the year when I visited the company headquarters in Minneapolis where I met Curt Carlson and senior executives, apart from attending a global conference at Scottsdale, Arizona. Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi being the first and flagship hotel of the Carlson Group in India also ensured a very special relationship. I found that the warmth and friendly working culture percolates down the line even after the number of hotels flying the Carlson Group flag has gone up to more than 1,000 from about 300 at the time of our signing the first agreement in 1994."

With a heavy heart, Safari India remembers the memory of such a legendary man whose legacy will live on for a long time!