Smita Parikh looked every bit a successful businesswoman as she held a meeting with her employees at her plush office. But ask this managing director of Hotel Centrepoint to list her achievements and she will give you a shy smile and attribute her success to husband Raj Parikh.

“My husband has supported and encouraged me in every aspect of my life. He showed me the right path. I could not have achieved success without him.” said Smita with a dreamy look in her eyes.

“He,” Smita informed, “encouraged me to start a business of my own.”

But business was not unfamiliar territory for this lady. Born into a businessman’s family in Ahmedabad, Smita completed her schooling from CN High School. After graduating in economics and psychology from St Xavier’s, Ahmedabad, Smita was married off to Raj Parikh in 1971.

Though an arranged marriage, Smita and Raj hit off well from the very first day. Her husband encouraged her to join their family business, Utkal Automobiles.

“Coming from a business family I was knew how to handle the purchase and accounts department. So, helping my in-laws in their business gave me a sense of purpose. It gave a new meaning to my life. I realised that every penny earned was a saving for my family,” said Smita.

In 1982, Smita introduced computers in the business. “I had to first learn the basics. I took a year’s course in computers at XLRI. Thank God I did the course. It made computing accounts so much easier.”

Smita would still have been computing accounts had a passing thought not struck her one fine day. “It was a casual thought... a passing remark that I made that Natraj seems to be the only destination that the city has to offer in terms of a hotel and it is booked throughout the year. I wondered if we could construct a hotel on our plot of land in front of our house,” said Smita her eyes glinting with excitement.

“Surprisingly, everybody in the family thought it was a commercially viable idea,” she added.

There was no stopping her after that. The next few months were spent meeting architects and interior designers, finalising plans, drawing blueprints and recruiting workers. “I was sure of what I wanted right from the very beginning. The stress was on quality service,” said Smita.

In the very first year of its inception in 1992, Hotel Centrepoint got its four-star classification. Quality was obviously maintained. And since then there was no looking back for Smita. “For the past 12 years, Hotel Centrepoit has had something new to offer. It has been a relentless journey towards success,” said the iron lady.

First came the restaurant, then the state-of-art health club with equipment imported from Singapore, followed by the golf theme bar, Fore The 19the Hole, and finally the novel roof-top party arena, Panaroma, that stands 75 feet high in the air.

Smita’s success story has a dream-like quality to it. Maybe because she makes it sound so effortless. Ask her if there was ever a time when things went terrible wrong and she smiles. “Of course. I'd be lying if I say this industry is forever flourishing. But slack seasons are a part of the game,” said Smita with a matter-of-fact shrug.

“The clients we cater to are usually from the corporate world. So week-end bookings sometimes falter. Seasonal slump in business is also part of the hotel business,” she confesses.

“But the way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you have to prepared for the rain.”

But trust Smita to come up with a novel idea to counter the off-season slump in business. “Our premier clients are all from the corporate world. So we tried to cater to their continuous needs by organising different food festivals.”

As a committee member of the Federation of Hotels and Restaurant Association of India, Smita helped organise Sanjeev Kapoor’s Khaana Khazaana friendship food festival. Her own hotel organises 10 to 12 food festivals annually.

“From Kake da dhaba to Dilli’s paratha gully, from mouth-watering Mexican cuisine to spicy Jamaican food, we’ve done them all and more.”

“The huge turno-ut at these festivals not only boost our profits, but also go a long way in earning a good name,” said Smita.

Smita comes up with these brilliant ideas during her frequent tours abroad. The lady loves travelling and has picked up unique ideas from places like Malaysia, Australian and Japan. “Learning is such a rewarding experience. I’ve always believed each place, each person has something important and valuable to teach me. Therefore, during each of my travels I’ve learned something unique, which I have been able to bring back with me to Jamshedpur. ”

Smita firmly believes that “image” and “brand” matters in the hospitality business. “It is the brand name that establishes the product,” says Smita.

Thus she worked towards a franchise holding with the prestigious ITC Welcome group. And Centerpoint became Fortune Hotel Centerpoint, the first branded hotel in Jamshedpur. “It served a dual purpose. It put Jamshedpur on the map of ITC’s chain of hotels and secondly, it increased our client base,” says Smita.

The confident business woman smiles wisely when asked about the kind of competition her hotel faces in Jamshedpur. Competition, she says, is almost nil. “For my hotel is a class apart. It does not come in the category of stand alone hotels.”

But now that she has reached the top rung of the success ladder, what’s her plans? “There is still so much to be done!” she replies.

For now she is planning Jharkhand’s first theme restaurant. “Let's give Jamshedpur a new reason to celebrate.”

This apart she has a dream project in the pipeline. “I want to start a holiday resort — a place where people can take a break from their hectic pace of life. Jamshedpur can be an ideal getaway for people living in metros like Calcutta.”

But that’s not all for this busy lady. This charter president of Rotary Club of Jamshedpur, who won the Best President, has now taken up a cultural cause.

“I am forming a Gujrati Community Club in association with the Gujarat Club, Calcutta.” The society will aid social, educational and cultural development of the Gujrati community, she added.

Well, knowing this determined lady it won’t be long before her dream projects become realities.

Jasmeeta Dubey