JYOTSNA SURI
In Lalit ’s Shoes She took charge of a hotel empire when it was the need of the hour. And after being at the helm of The Lalit Group of Hotels for six years, Jyotsna Suri has earned a formidable reputation for being a businesswoman of substance and flair.
TEXT BY SURUCHI DUGGAL / PHOTOGRAPHED BY DAVID MATTHIESSEN
For someone who works as hard as you do, you look amazing! How do you keep your energy levels up?
Thank you! I’m constantly on the move, and the more engaged I am, the more energised I get. My work, as strange as it may seem, keeps me very relaxed. I travel a lot, and when I visit one of my properties, and get away from the boardroom, I relax. Then I unwind with my family – my grandchildren and particularly my mother.
With work taking centre stage in your life, are there any personal goals and aspirations that you’ve shelved for the time being?
None at all. My work means everything to me, and all my goals are tied in with what I do. I have been able to bring up my children to the best of my capabilities, and I have no regrets: they are all settled and working. Yes, I do want to establish our group as the leading hotel group in the country, and I have been moving towards that goal every single day.
How easy or difficult was it to suddenly take
over a multi-million dollar business?
It’s a misnomer that I started working suddenly: I was always working. I got into active work with Lalit more than 25 years ago, and I've been working without him for five years now. Lalit was the visible one: he was great with people, was in Parliament and was therefore the person who was there for the world to see, while I stood behind-the-scenes.
Then in 1991, when Lalit had a triple bypass surgery and was completely out of action for a year-and-a-half, that was the first time I became more visible. In retrospect, perhaps that was my orientation period. And when I had to step into Lalit’s shoes in 2006, it was not difficult.
How was the transition and what challenges did you face?
There was a tremendous vacuum which Lalit left: not only was he a great husband, he was a guide, a mentor, and someone that we all
NOV — DEC 2012
he gleaming Lalit Legacy Tower stands tall as the group’s eponymous flagship property in the heart of Delhi – a striking reminder that the group founder's name has never been more conspicuous. “Lalit was always the face of the company… he had such great networking skills,” reminisces Jyotsna Suri fondly. Jyotsna is far removed from her role of being the woman behind the man today. But even as she talks excitedly about her pet project – opening The Great Eastern in Kolkata, Lalit Suri’s presence looms large – vibrant and constant, in the shadows behind his wife, who’s taken his place in the spotlight. “I never let him down when he was with me. How can I let him down when he is not with me?” exhales the Chairperson & Managing Director of the Lalit Group. Today, Jyotsna Suri plays mother and boss to her children whom she’s gathered close.
Not many, you can argue, could have done better.