A Passion for Hospitality
For Rajni Balhara, Front Office Manager at Radisson Hotel Sector 29 Gurugram, who hails from Kota in Rajasthan, the opportunities to choose a career in the hospitality industry were hardly there. It was natural that society and family would have frowned upon her choice of a career in hospitality. So, she flew from the nest and joined The Oberoi Hotels and Resorts which turned out to be the first and most interesting step of a ladder that took her upwards in the hospitality sector. Over the past 13 years in this sector, Rajni has played a variety of roles, all very challenging and satisfying.
Once Rajni completed her schooling from Kota and graduation from Jaipur, the first thought on Rajni’s mind was to step outside Rajasthan, and fly! “I wanted to join the aviation industry,” she says. Her parents were reluctant to send their only daughter to become an air hostess. Her next choice was the hospitality industry. Rajni insisted to work at a few internships and eventually convinced her parents to let her join The Oberoi Hotels and Resorts. It was a big turning point in her life, but something for which she had to work really hard since she did not have an academic background related to the hospitality sector. The Oberoi Hotels and Resorts helped her polish her skills though. Since then, Rajni has worked with some of the best hotel chains in India. And her parents are really proud of her!
Support & Commitment
Rajni is really proud of her job as the Front Office Manager at Radisson Hotel Sector 29 Gurugram. But the journey has called for a whole lot of grit. After working for six years, she got married and the couple soon had a daughter. She had to take a break for up to 2.5 years. She was keen, however, on getting back to her job even though the hospitality sector is a demanding one.
“I was blessed to have always got the support of my parents and in-laws, including of course my husband,” she affirms. The one thing that put wind in her sails is that she and her family understood the importance of women being independent and self-sufficient.
As an individual and a woman, Rajni has always wanted to pursue a healthy professional life and also raise a family. Contrary to her mother, she wanted to work post-marriage as well. Her first goal, therefore, was to be able to create a healthy balance between her personal and professional life and then grow further in achieving her career goals.
Rajni knows too well that in terms of goals and values, if you are working for something, you have to be absolutely dedicated. And that is what she has been through all the stages and chapters of her life.
