Patu Keswani

Patu Keswani (born February 9, 1959, in Lucknow) is the Chairman and Managing Director of Lemon Tree Hotels.

Early life and education
Patu Keswani completed his education at St. Columba’s School, New Delhi. He received his bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi in 1981 and subsequently his Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management from Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta 1983.

Career
Patu Keswani completed his education at St. Columba’s School, New Delhi. He received his bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi in 1981 and subsequently his Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management from Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta 1983.

Keswani joined the TATA Administrative Service (TAS) in 1983 and worked with the TATA Group for over 15 years. His last assignment was as Senior Vice President of the Taj Group of Hotels. He subsequently worked with management consulting firm, A.T. Kearney Inc. as an Associate Consultant and Director in their New Delhi office.

Keswani promoted Lemon Tree Hotels in 2002 and is the Chairman and Managing Director of the company, which owns and operates 100 hotels in 64 cities with ~9,700 rooms and ~8,200 employees (as of January 2024). Lemon Tree Hotels listed on the National Stock Exchange of India on 9th April 2018.

Keswani has focussed on offering opportunities to Indians with disability. ~13% of Lemon Tree employees (~1000+ people) are from this disadvantaged segment of the population. Lemon Tree Hotels has been presented the National Award by the President of India for ‘Best Employer of Persons with Disabilities’ in 2016 & 2011 and a third National Award in 2012 for being a ‘Role Model in providing a Barrier Free Environment to Persons with Disabilities’.

Keswani is a member of the Skills Council for Hospitality, Travel and Tourism (NSDC). Keswani was previously the Chairman of the Skills Council for Persons With Disability (SCPwD) as well as a member of the University Grants Commission and the Board of Governors of IIT Delhi.

Personal life
Keswani is a first generation Indian entrepreneur. His father was an Indian Railway Service officer and his mother a doctor in the Indian Army. He has two children, a son Aditya and daughter Nayana. Keswani lives in New Delhi and is married to Heather Lynn Hughes. They have 4 dogs: B.Eagle (a beagle) and Mocha (a chocolate labrador) who live in New Delhi with Duke (a white labrador) and Oreo (a French bull) who live in Dallas, Texas.

Awards
Keswani was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award by his Alma Maters - IIT Delhi in 2011 and IIM Calcutta in 2012. Keswani received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021 by IIHM (International Institute of Hotel Management) and IHC (International Hospitality Council). He was inducted into the IATO (Indian Association of Tour Operators) Hall of Fame in 2019; the ‘Hotelier India’ Hall of Fame in 2012 and into the FHRAI (The Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India) Hall of Fame in 2010. He received the Excellence Award (inclusion/diversity) at Conde Nast Traveller Readers’ Awards 2018.