Ahuja Residences Wins Best Diversified Lifestyle Accommodation Group at Today’s Traveller Awards 2026

Mr. Rakesh Sharma

Independent Director

Rakesh was last working with Tata Teleservices Ltd – TTL – where he managed locations across the country. He reported to the Managing Director. Since 2011, till his superannuation in December 2023 at TTL, he reported to the Chairman of the Board/ Audit Committee, as the Chief Ethics Counsellor (CEC) & Chief Safety Officer (CSO).
Rakesh also has to his credit the facility start-up of 4 large companies, in multiple locations in India & around the World. These were enablement centres for Hughes Software, Oracle Software, Wipro BPO, Quatrro Global Services Ltd.
He was also a visiting Faculty at Tata Management Training Center, Pune & conducted sessions for Master Class on Ethics, FMSS & EHS, at various Tata Group Companies, as Faculty. Over a period of 12 years, Rakesh has designed & facilitated several business FMSS & EHS program roll-outs for various Tata operating companies, i.e., Business Ethics Master class (05); Diagnostic assignments – Assurance Surveys & dip stick assessments (>5); Process Planning & Action planning workshops (>10); Investigation tools & techniques (<5).
Rakesh has assisted senior colleagues at the Tata Group Ethics office in architecting courses on Gender sensitivity & re-draft of the Tata Code of Conduct 2015 as well.
In his present avatar, post working for large Indian & MNC companies, in the multi-cultural & multi-locational format, Rakesh is advising organizations in building & strengthening their FMSS portfolio’s, ethical & safety ecosystems.

Mr. Suresh Aggarwal

Independent Director

A Merit Holder In The CA Examination, Mr. Suresh worked for “The Container Corporation Of India” before setting up his own “Accountancy Firm”.
Mr Aggarwal plays a vital role as independent director in advising on all the future growth plans for the brand.

Mr. Arun Kumar Batra

Independent Director

An alumnus of St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, and IMD Business School, Lausanne, Arun Kumar Batra is a Chartered Accountant who brings more than three decades of cross‑industry leadership to the Ahuja fold.
He has worked at Nestlé and took the helm of Eternit Everest Ltd. as Managing Director and CEO later. Subsequently, as Regional Managing Director for South Asia at Group 4 Securicor, he steered multi‑country teams through complex market dynamics, achieving sustained growth.
Post his corporate career, Mr Batra founded a boutique consultancy, guiding clients on restructuring, cost optimisation, corporate governance, and C‑suite talent acquisition, while serving as an Independent Director on the board of SIS India.
He is also the Founder Member and Governing Council member of the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre.
His breadth of experience and values‑driven leadership are set to enrich Ahuja’s strategic vision.

Mrs. Kanika Ahuja

Director

Kanika Ahuja graduated from Jesus and Mary College with a Bachelors in Commerce. She then pursued a masters in HR and Management from the International Management Institute. In 2001, she became the Director of Ahuja Residency and has been working in the company for the last two decades. She takes care of the design aspect of the properties.
Kanika recently co-launched her own Interior Design studio, ‘Turn it Around’ and has undertaken over 100 spaces since 2019. She is also a proud former committee member of the Young FICCI Ladies Organisation.

Mr. Jaideep Ahuja

Managing Director & CEO

Jaideep Ahuja is Managing Director & CEO of Ahuja Residency Pvt. Ltd., one of India’s foremost hospitality groups. A B.Com (Hons) graduate of Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi, he holds an MSc in Management from the London School of Economics and is pursuing the Owner President Management Program at Harvard Business School.
After four years with Accenture, Jaideep joined the family enterprise in 2002 and has led its expansion into a diversified portfolio:

1. a nationwide network of serviced apartments (Delhi, Gurugram, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Chennai)
2. Budget hotels under the Ahuja Residences brand
3. Apartment hotels “AR Suites” in Pune, Noida, and Manesar
4. boutique hotels under the “Air” brand (operational in Gurugram; upcoming in Bengaluru and Pune)
5. Yuhi Hospitality, India’s specialist in Japanese accommodation
6. Lime Services is a full‑service property‑management subsidiary.

Jaideep serves on the CII Northern Region Council and has previously chaired CII Delhi (2024‑25). He was also a member of the National Management Team of CII Young Indians and is now an active member of YPO Delhi.
He was the President of the Millennium City Guest House Association for several years. Passionate about education, he sits on the Court of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University and previously chaired the Governing Council of Kamala Nehru College, Delhi University.
Away from work, he enjoys exercising and indulging in sports like tennis and golf.

Mrs. Rashmi Ahuja

Chairperson, Ahuja Residences

Mrs. Rashmi Ahuja is the visionary founder and Chairperson of Ahuja Residences. What began in 1982 as a modest bed-and-breakfast with just two rooms has today grown under her leadership into a renowned hospitality brand offering a diverse portfolio of hotels and serviced apartments across India.
With her impeccable presence and unwavering focus on operational excellence, Mrs. Ahuja has consistently steered the company toward sustainable and profitable growth. Her strategic insight ensures that every expansion opportunity aligns with the brand’s core values while optimising performance.
Mrs. Ahuja’s legacy is not just in building a business but in crafting memorable guest experiences, nurturing a culture of service, and setting new benchmarks in the Indian hospitality industry.