Dr. Anila Thomas During the first few years of academic career, my research interests revolved around History and Tourism with a particular focus on vocational training and development. After the completion of my Ph.D. thesis, I started to plan out new areas of interest that primarily bounded students on their views on professionalism and subsequently streamlined the level of their preparation to be part of an automated travel service sector, as well as the role of higher learning in Tourism and hospitality industry.
Eventually, my research focused on the following issues:
• Geographical resources and Tourism,
• Rural Tourism,
• Destination Marketing,
• Destination Planning and Policy-making,
• Women’s contributions in the field of Tourism, and
• Community involvement for Sustaining Tourism Resources.
Summary of organizational achievements:
In my professional career, I have never restricted myself to being only a teacher or a lecturer, but I actively took up challenges involving organizational responsibilities for the benefit of the institution I was working for. Being part of
the pioneering batch in the field of Tourism Academic programs in India, I have got opportunity to be part of academic bodies as Chairperson of Board of Examiners for Tourism Bachelor Degree Program (Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala – during 1997-98) in the initial years of my career. I have also got opportunity to teach the pioneering batch of Tourism vocational programs in various colleges in Kerala.
In 2005, I have shifted to Bangalore and started my career in Jyoti Nivas College Autonomous, one of the premier institutions for Women in Bangalore, as a senior lecturer in the Department of Tourism and Travel Management. My commitment, passion and dedicated service have resulted in my promotion as the head of the department in the year 2006 and the service still continuing with the same passion and service-mind.
While working at Jyoti Nivas College Autonomous, Bangalore, I have performed various organizational roles, listed here in chronological order:
• Head of the Department of Tourism, Jyoti Nivas College Autonomous, Bangalore (2006 onwards)
• Session Chair, Board of Studies in Tourism, Jyoti Nivas College Autonomous, Bangalore (2006 onwards)
• Member of the Faculty Recruitment Committee – Tourism, Jyoti Nivas College Autonomous, Bangalore (2006 onwards)
• Students Union Advisor, Jyoti Nivas College Autonomous, Bangalore (2016-2022)
• Member of various committees for Teaching and Learning and curricular and co-curricular activities (2006 onwards)
• Manuscript Coordinator, Research Journal and Publication committee, Jyoti Nivas College Autonomous, Bangalore (2008 onwards)
• Team Member of the International Studies and Students exchange programs in Foreign Universities (2007 onwards)
• Managing the academic responsibilities including framing timetable for the academic year, drafting programme changes in academic curriculum proposals, supervising projects and research publications of students and their fulfilment of moralistic responsibilities etc.
Accomplishments
Accomplishments are relevant honours, achievements or awards that are earned for exceeding required standards in academics and in work environment.
Main accomplishments are:
• Award won for scoring highest percentage in PG – I Rank (Maham Cash Award – By Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women Limited)
• Promotion to leadership positions – Head of the Department
• Honourary memberships – Honorary Member of Editorial Board at IJBST Journal Group (100% Free Open Access Non-Profit Peer Reviewed Scientific Publication Service)
• Member of National Executive Committee of Indian Tourism and Hospitality Congress (ITHC)
• Council Member, Karnataka Niche Tourism – Women Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WICCI), India’s National Business Chamber for Women. • Indian Glory Awards, 2022 – Best in Responsible Tourism Education • Global Teaching Excellence Award (GTEA) 2022. • Asian Education Award 2022 for contribution to Student Development • “India’s Exceptional Educators for the Year 2021” – Recognition by “The Excelligent”, one of the Top Global Education Magazine/ September 2021