In 1978, Nakul Anand joined ITC's hotel division as a general assistant trainee (GAT), becoming part of its first formal batch of hotel management trainees. In a world where everything from 'gastrique-laced entrees' to 'artisanal aperitifs' made him feel like an alien, it didn't take the economics graduate long to realize that the other trainees, most of whom had studied hotel management, were miles ahead of him. But Anand, a natural at hospitality, not only bridged the gap between his fellow trainees and himself, but also topped the training programme.

From his first posting as a night manager at Chola Sheraton in Chennai, Anand quickly grew to leadership roles, becoming one of the youngest general managers in the industry, and went on to establish new benchmarks in hospitality in his forty-five-year stint at ITC Hotels. A devoted champion of sustainability, Anand pioneered 'Responsible Luxury', earning global acclaim with a record-breaking number of LEED(R) Platinum and Zero Carbon-certified properties.

Part memoir, part hospitality bible, The Night Manager provides a behind-the-scenes account of an industry where profit margins are rarely consistent, customers hard to please, and the pursuit of perfection never-ending, and shows what it takes to go the extra mile with a smile.

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