Gitanjali Chakravarthy makes history as CHSGA’s first woman Vice President

The hospitality industry which had been historically male-dominated, for the first time in the association’s history appointed Gitanjali Chakravarthy Haaland as the Vice President at its AGM coinciding with the 50th golden anniversary of Ceylon Hotel School Graduates Association. 

The dynamics of corporate leadership in the hotel industry are changing and despite facing challenges in the workplace and balancing personal lives, more women are breaking the glass ceiling by putting themselves for 
leadership roles. 

CHSGA, thus set an exemplary role and benchmark to promote equal opportunity and rights to women in the representative body of the hotel industry.

On her appointment, when asked, “What drove you to work your way up? And what does a woman need in the hospitality industry to be successful?
In response Gitanjali stated, “I wanted a very meaningful professional life. Something that I always believed in is that “If you can’t measure it, it doesn’t exist”. 

Hospitality has always been my passion. Whichever role I played in the hotels I worked for, I have done so with enthusiasm and utmost dedication and I believe that is what has helped me come this far, saying yes to challenges and not allowing fear to get in the way of opportunity. 

It’s a people-oriented industry, you need to have the passion for taking care of your internal team and external customers to drive success. One needs to have a strong mindset, be result driven and utilize the strengths in skill, knowledge, experience and emotions to pursue dreams, and not wait for it to come to you.” 

Gitanjali Chakravarthy Haaland, a product of Ceylon Hotel School & School of Tourism (Presently Known as Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management) possess over 30 plus years of local & foreign experience. Proven career driven attitude that’s imbedded in her genes brought her the opportunity to hold senior positions worldwide at renowned hospitality chains such as Mövenpick, Taj and Como Hotels & Resorts. She also groomed the next generation of hoteliers to be competent at the premier level during her tenure as a Senior Lecturer and the head of housekeeping management department at SLITHM. 

Gitanjali, created history in September 2019 in Sri Lanka tourism, when she took up the challenge to be the first Sri Lankan female to hold the position of General Manager for an international hotel brand, the newly ventured Hilton property in Yala, which is scheduled to open its doors during the 2nd quarter of 2022.

In 2020, Gitanjali was honored with the Pioneering Woman Leader award in Mumbai. Furthermore, she was previously recognized at the Top 50 Professional Career Woman Awards and as Sri Lanka’s Woman Leader in Hospitability (Gold category) organized by Women in Management – Sri Lanka. 

Apart from being a hospitality professional, Gitanjali has initiated numerous social community projects which elevated the living standards of many.