Vithal Venkatesh Kamat

Vithal Venkatesh Kamat (born 1953, Mumbai) is a hotelier and an educator. While growing up, he worked in a small, family-owned vegetarian restaurant. Dr. Vithal Kamat today is chairman of the award winning - and Asia’s first - Ecotel hotel - The Orchid. He is known for invention of Kamat plate' used widely for serving in restaurants in India.
Early history
Vithal's father Venkatesh Kamat started his career as a dishwasher boy, earning a livelihood to support his family. Through sheer hard work and keen business acumen, he started his first restaurant at Byculla in Mumbai.
Not content with its doing well, his ambitions was supported by his wife, Indira, who pawned her jewellery including her mangalsutra to set up the flagship Satkar in 1938 . From there the group only went from strength to strength adding many restaurants under his fold such as Suruchi, Sanman.Vithal Kamat was one among six children. His family has several hotels sathhkar, Swagath, Kamat Plaza, The Orchid Hotel and in other countries.
Hotel Group
Kamat Hotels (India) (KHIL), promoted by Mumbai based Kamat Group in 1950, operates a 372 room five star hotel 'The Orchid near Mumbai domestic airport. The company also manages two hotels—Kamats Khandla Hotel and The Kamats Plaza.
Orchid Hotel
Orchid Hotel was the first to get the Ecotel certification in Asia.
Asia's first Ecofriendly certified five star hotel "The Orchid" of the company, became fully operational with an 245 rooms during the year 1999-2000. "The Orchid" has won prestigious award like the Ecotel Industry Pioneer Status 1999 Award.The Orchid was Re-certified as Five Globe Ecotel- one of the only Five such Hotels in the World, on December 6, 2000.
Autobiography
He wrote his biography named Idli-orchid -willpower.
Awards
*Industry pioneer award by hvs.
*Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Award for Environmental Protection.
*Following prestigious Awards have been won by "The Orchid" for the year 2000-2001
# An International Certification from HVS ECO Services being awarded a 5 Globe ECOTEL rating in May 1997 and once again being re-certified as 5 Globe ECOTEL in December 2000.
# Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India (FHRAI) Environment Champion of the year - for large hotels.
# Hotel & Catering International Management Association (HCIMA) Best Environment Policy 2000.
# Regional Directors Tourism Award 2000.- Western & Central India- awarded for his contribution to the Tourism Industry.
# National Tourism Award for best 5 star Hotel Western Region - January 2001.
# PATA Gold Award given by PATA, Malaysia for best Corporate Environment Programme 2001- April, 2001.
# ISO 14001 Certification 2001 - 24 May 2001.
# Rotary Club of Mumbai North Island awarded for his concern towards environment protection and providing the 1st eco-friendly 5 star Hotel in Asia to the city of Mumbai.
# British Airways Tourism for tomorrow Awards- Large Scale Tourism.
# Paryavaran Shree Puraskar 2001-2002
# International Hotel & Restaurant Association Environmental Award 2001
# Green Globe Achievement Award 2000, IH & RA Green Hotelier & Restaurateur Environmental Award 1999 for outstanding contribution to sustainable tourism.

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