TTT NEWS NETWORK
BENGALURU | 9 OCTOBER 2026
Dr. Suborno Bose, Founder and Chairman of the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM), has been honoured with the prestigious ‘Iconic Excellence in Hospitality Education’ Award at the 9th edition of the WION ICONIC Tourism Summit 2026, held at ITC Maurya, New Delhi.
Dr. Suborno received the award from Bhuvnesh Kumar, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. The recognition celebrates his distinguished contribution to hospitality education and his role in shaping generations of hospitality professionals.
The event brought together achievers from tourism, hospitality, aviation, culture, enterprise, public life, social impact and the performing arts.
On receiving the award, Dr. Suborno Bose, Founder and Chairman, IIHM, said, “I am deeply honoured to receive the Iconic Excellence in Hospitality Education Award. I see this recognition as belonging to the entire IIHM family, our students, faculty, alumni, partners and everyone who has been part of this journey. Hospitality education has to constantly evolve with the industry. Our responsibility is to prepare young people not just with professional knowledge, but with global exposure, technological understanding, confidence, empathy and the ability to lead. This honour inspires us to continue pushing the boundaries of hospitality education.”
Commenting on the honour bestowed on Dr. Suborno, Ms. Sanchari Chowdhury, Director, IIHM Bangalore and Head-South Operations, IIHM, said, “This is an extremely proud moment for everyone at IIHM. Dr. Suborno Bose has transformed the way hospitality education is envisioned by constantly bringing together academics, industry, technology and international exposure. He has always encouraged us to look beyond traditional methods of education and prepare students for the opportunities and challenges of tomorrow. This recognition truly celebrates a leader who has made education a powerful force for change in the hospitality industry.”
Three Decades of Building Industry-Ready Hospitality Leaders
For more than three decades, Dr. Suborno has worked towards building an education ecosystem that remains closely connected with the changing needs of hospitality and tourism. His vision has been centred on ensuring that hospitality institutes do not operate in isolation, but remain deeply connected with industry practices, international trends, technology and the expectations of the modern traveller.
Under his leadership, IIHM has consistently sought to bridge the gap between classroom learning and professional experience. Students have been given opportunities to learn from industry leaders, participate in international platforms, engage with hospitality professionals from across the world and understand the sector from a much broader global perspective.
Dr. Suborno has also played an important role in positioning hospitality as an aspirational career for young people. His approach to education goes beyond preparing students for conventional roles in hotels, encouraging them to explore entrepreneurship, leadership and emerging opportunities across the larger tourism and hospitality ecosystem. With artificial intelligence and digital technologies changing the way the hospitality sector operates, Dr. Suborno has consistently advocated an education model that combines technological capability with the human qualities at the heart of hospitality.
His approach emphasises that while technology can transform efficiency, personalisation and service delivery, empathy, emotional intelligence and meaningful human interaction will continue to define great hospitality. This philosophy has shaped IIHM’s efforts to prepare students for a future where they will need to understand technology while retaining the ability to connect with people, lead diverse teams and deliver memorable guest experiences.
The institution’s academic and industry initiatives have therefore increasingly focused on future-ready skills, global perspectives, innovation, leadership and exposure to new developments shaping tourism and hospitality worldwide.
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