K.B. Kachru driving the growth of the company’s’ hotels in South Asia, has been instrumental in building the business in India over the past 15 years. As Chairman, Kachru is responsible for the overall strategy and growth of the company within South Asia. Before joining Carlson Rezidor, Kachru was the head of Ashok Group of Hotels, owned by the India Tourism Development Corporation.

An industry veteran, Kachru is an active member of various Tourism and Hospitality Advisory Committees at the state and national level. He has been on the board of directors for the Tourism Corporation of state governments in Jammu and Kashmir, Pondichery and Madhya Pradesh, and on the board of governors of the Institute of Hotel Management in New Delhi. Kachru has also been an executive member of several associations, including the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) India Chapter, the American Society of Travel Agents of India, Hotel Association of India (HAI), Kachru has been a trailblazer for positive change in the hospitality industry. He spearheaded the formation of the Institute for International Management and Technology in collaboration with Oxford Brookes University, UK, and was also responsible for the introduction of arrival passenger duty free shopping at India’s international airports.

Among the many accolades he has received, there is the ‘Hall of Fame’ award for the Best Hotel Management Person presented by the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association at ITB Berlin one of the world’s leading travel trade shows. From 2004 to 2006, he clinched the ‘Global Hotelier Award’ at WTM London and ‘Galileo – Express Travel & Tourism Award’. He was also awarded by South Asia Travel & Tourism Expo (SATTE) as the leading hotelier of the country in year 2010. Kachru was also recognized by the Carlson Companies and honored with the ‘Carlson Fellowship Award’ in 2005. In 2014, he was awarded the lifetime achievement award by the hospitality industry (HVS lifetime achievement award for 2013).

Palash joined UTC in 2001 and assumed his current position in January 2011. In this role, Palash is responsible for P&W’s growth in India including developing, coordinating and implementing business strategies, new business development, government/industry relations, aftermarket support and talent management. In his 15+ at UTC, Palash has served in multiple roles of increasing importance in supply chain, program management, operations, and general management.

He holds an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from Mangalore University and a Master’s in Business Administration from Michigan State University. He has also attended UTC’s leadership program at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.

In addition to his responsibilities at Pratt & Whitney, He currently serves as the UTC Director of the Board – UTC India Pvt. Ltd., Chair – UTC India CSR Council, Chairman, Civil Aviation Committee – AMCHAM, and Co-Chairman, Civil Aviation Committee – FICCI