Published On: 20 January 2024
Shangri-La Hotel, New Delhi, January 19, 2024
In a spectacular gathering at Shangri-La Hotel, New Delhi, IAAPI celebrated its 25th Foundation Day on January 19, 2024, with unparalleled zeal, camaraderie, and enthusiasm. The event proved to be a momentous occasion as founder members were felicitated for their visionary efforts and selfless service to IAAPI over the past quarter-century.
The day unfolded with insightful sessions aimed at imparting valuable learnings to the members. Professor Ranjeet Nambudiri from IIM Indore shared profound insights into organizational behavior, adding an academic dimension to the event. The presence of founder members Mr. N. D. Rana, Mr. Rajen Shah, and Mr. Balwant Chawla added a historical perspective as they shared their journey of building IAAPI from scratch and imparted invaluable lessons to the members.
Mr. Shrikant Goenka, Chairman of IAAPI, highlighted the significant achievements of the association in recent years. Under his leadership, IAAPI has initiated steps to enhance collaboration among members and allied associations. Mr. Goenka also announced that the upcoming IAAPI Expo in February 2024 is set to be the largest ever, expecting around 15,000 visitors from across the globe.
A significant highlight of the event was the launch of IAAPI's rebranded look, featuring a new logo and theme. Mr Ashwin Dange who spearheaded this initiative mentioned that the new look is refreshing yet attached to the same roots from where it is inspired. The association also unveiled its new website, a user-friendly member portal, and a member mobile app. Mr Pradeep Sharma shared his thoughts on the initiatives taken by IAAPI on the front of imparting knowledge to its members regarding safety in amusement. Adding to the excitement, a market assessment report of the Amusement Industry, prepared in collaboration with PWC, was released during the event.
The report emphasized the industry's current status as an 11,500 crore powerhouse, growing at a remarkable CAGR of 10.20%. With India's demographic dividend, the report anticipates substantial growth in the industry, prompting various investors to express their current and upcoming significant investments.
Panel discussions featuring elite speakers from diverse fields added depth to the celebration. Notable figures such as Mr. Roshan Thomas, Director, Ministry of Tourism; Mr. Arun Chittilappilly from Wonderla; Mr. Jai Malpani from Imagica; Mr. Abhishek Bansal from Pacific Malls; Mr. Abbas Jabalpurwala from TimeZone; Mr. Rajeev Jalnapurkar from Guardian Media; Mr. Saurabh Singal from Food Forum; Ms. Jyoti Mayal from TAAI; and Dr Benu Seghal from Splendor Lifestyle shared their enthusiasm for the amusement industry.
The day concluded with Mr. Ankur Maheshwary, Vice Chairman of IAAPI, delivering a warm thank-you note and summarizing the day's learnings. He highlighted the significant contributions of Mr Prashant Kanoria, Mr Maneesh Verma and Mr Ajay Sarin in organizing the event. With profound takeaways for all participants, the evening culminated in a delightful blend of live music and a gastronomic feast.
