Sikkim: A Stretch of Paradise in the Himalayas
The majesty of the Himalayas in Sikkim unfolded before me as never before in course of my recent four-day visit to the state. Invited by industrialist Harshavardhan Neotia and Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and CEO, IHCL (Indian Hotels Company), respectively, at their new hotel Taj Guras Kutir, I admit that the trip offered me an unforgettable opportunity to delve deeper into Sikkim’s fascinating history. For those not in the know, the Ambuja Neotia Group helmed by Harshavardhan Neotia has joined hands with the Taj Group’s Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) to launch many hotels in India, including the Taj Chia Kutir, Darjeeling, where I stayed a night as well. In course of my conversation with Puneet Chhatwal, I came to know that this new venture of the two mega groups has been aimed to “bring alive Sikkim’s local culture with a modern flair”, as well as to further their hospitality footprints in this part of the country. Recently inaugurated by chief minister Prem Singh Tamang (Gol
