MUMBAI:  Hospitality veteran Rajesh Rana has been appointed director (commercial & marketing) at India Tourism Development Corp  (ITDC). The ministry of tourism, in an order dated 10 March 2025, confirmed the appointment committee of the cabinet’s (ACC) nod for his five-year stint—or until further notice. Rana took charge today, 17 March 2025.

A hospitality honcho with 26 years in the trade, Rana brings deep expertise in catering, tourism, marketing and business operations. An alumnus of the Institute of Hotel Management, Lucknow, with an MBA in marketing, he started out as a management trainee with Jaypee Hotels before making his mark at PSU THDC India Ltd.

Rana’s career took off when he joined IRCTC in 2005, where he spent 19 years masterminding hospitality and tourism strategies. He climbed the ladder from deputy general manager to general manager, steering operations across regional, zonal and corporate offices. His knack for product development, marketing and risk management has left a lasting imprint on railway catering and tourism.

Before his ITDC move, Rana served as general manager at IRCTC’s corporate office in New Delhi, also doubling as chief risk officer. With ITDC now in his hands, expect a shake-up in tourism marketing and commercial strategy.