Nanotechnology: Next big thing in hospitality industry

Nanotechnology and its likely impact on the hospitality industry was the topic of discussion at a seminar organised by hospitality management college, Ecole Hoteliere Lavasa (EHL) on its Lavasa campus in Pune recently.

How a brown bread can be made to stay fresh for six months and an electronic tongue, which tests food for perfect taste, and various other applications of nanotechnology were some of the interesting topics that the students got to know about during the seminar.  IT wizard Achyut Godbole and Madhavi Thakurdesai, associate professor at Birla College, educated the students on the concept of nanotechnology, the next big thing to happen in the hospitality industry.

While explaining the development of human beings from the ice age to the modern era, Godbole said, “The evolution of information technology and pure sciences has led to the birth and growth of nanotechnology. It is crucial to inculcate techniques such as ‘learn and unlearn’. This technique is essential in modern times and each one of us has to be updated about all the latest technologies which affect our lives.”  

An expert in the field of nanotechnology, Thakurdesai shared its history, how it has been rapidly evolving and its significance in the hospitality sector. “The global hospitality business will be impacted to the tune of $92 billion in the near future. Using water as a cleaning agent will no longer be necessary because the walls and the fabric will be made of nano material and will clean by itself. Such measures will save a huge amount of cost to the industry,” she said.

Speaking on the occasion, Rony Kurien, dean, administration, EHL, said that the seminar was one of the processes of learning to keep students updated with the technology and trends in hospitality industry.

Ecole Hoteliere Lavasa has academic certification from hospitality school, École Hôtelière de Lausanne of Switzerland.  Lausanne Hospitality Consulting (LHC), the consulting and executive education arm of EHL, is established as a benchmark provider of management consulting, technical and behavioural development and executive education.