Founder and CEO of Sudima Hotels and Hind Management, Sudesh Kumar Jhunjhnuwala has been recognised in the New Year’s Honours List for 2025, becoming an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM), for his services to the hospitality industry and philanthropy.
He joins husband and wife My Food Bag founders Nadia Lim and Carlos Bagrie who were both honoured for their services to the food industry. After winning MasterChef NZ in 2011, Lim’s cookbooks and television shows have made her a household name. During Covid-19 Lim launched Nadia’s Comfort Kitchen on television and later raised $400,000 for Youthline and Women’s Refuge through the publication of a cookbook featuring the show’s recipes.
Sudesh Jhunjhnuwala’s latest community initiative has been the launch of hospitality internships. The Jhunjhnuwala Family / Hind Management Māori and Pacific Youth Scholarship 2025 provides an opportunity for aspiring Māori and Pacific hospitality leaders. The internships are carried out in any of one of the group’s eight properties around the country.
Hands-On Hotel Experience
The initiative is aimed at attracting Māori and Pacific youth who are not currently in paid employment, education or training to provide exciting hands-on experience in hotel operations, mentorship from industry experts, a safe, supportive and inclusive environment, and competitive incentives to ensure internees thrive both professionally and personally.
The paid internships are for either three months (intakes in February & October) or six months (commencing from October 2025), and applications close Monday 27 January 2025.
Aspiring Māori and Pacific Hospitality leaders can get more details about the Māori and Pacific Youth Scholarship for 2025, and make an application here.
Since Mr. Jhunjhnuwala founded the national hotel group in 2000, Sudima Hotels has maintained a friendly, family-focused culture and a flat structure to empower employees to grow, share ideas and try new things. A recent news story covered Mr. Jhunjhnuwala’s support for exploited migrants.
