KATHMANDU: Shyam Bahadur Panday, the founder of Shangrila Hotel, one of Nepal's oldest high-end hotels, passed away on Monday at the age of 88. He breathed his last at Grandi Hospital in Tokha, Kathmandu. Panday's death follows closely on the heels of the passing of another first-generation tourism entrepreneur, Ambika Shrestha, founder of Heritage Hotel, who died last Thursday at the age of 92. Their funerals were held on the same day, Monday.

Born on October 12, 1936, in Lazimpat, Kathmandu, Panday retired from civil service in the 1970s and went on to establish the Shangrila Hotel. Recognizing a market gap between five-star hotels like Soaltee and Annapurna and the one-star hotels in Thamel, he aimed to provide four-star service through the Shangrila Hotel in Lazimpat.

Tourism entrepreneur Yogendra Shakya remarked that apart from the hotels run by the Royal Palace, there were only one-star hotels at that time. Panday's courage and entrepreneurial thinking can still serve as an inspiration. Shakya praised Panday's significant contribution to the country's hospitality sector, highlighting his establishment of a four-star hotel without involving an international chain. "At that time, there were cheap hotels in Thamel while Annapurna and Soaltee were five-star hotels,” said Shakya. “Panday brought a radical change by introducing a four-star hotel to fill the gap."

Coming from a military family, Panday himself was a civil servant before venturing into the hospitality industry. After retiring, he started an export business to China, dealing in rice and jute in the 1960s, but he was not satisfied with this line of work. Dreaming of building a special hotel in Lazimpat, Panday took a significant risk due to his limited knowledge in the hospitality field. British author, artist, and architect Desmond Doig motivated and assisted him in opening the Shangrila Hotel. The hotel's name was inspired by James Hilton's novel "The Lost Horizon."

Shyam Bahadur's father, Rudra Bahadur Panday, descendent of the great military general Kalu Panday, was in the army. Shyam Bahadur, after his government service, chose to enter the business world, exemplifying how life after retirement can be creatively fulfilling.

Last March, Panday received the Lifetime Achievement in Business Leadership Award during the eighth edition of the Newbiz Business Conclave and Awards. His younger son and the hotel’s Managing Director, Praveen Panday, received the award on his behalf. "My father started the concept of Shangrila Hotel 55 years ago," said Praveen. “It is because of his blessings that we introduced the world's best hospitality brand. My father started the business from zero. Inspired by his will, we are working to elevate our hotel to a higher level.”

Two years ago, Shangri-La Hotel & Resort Group took over the management and development of four hotels and resorts in partnership with Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts Group (IHG). These include Shangrila Village Resorts in Lazimpat, Kathmandu, Gharipatan in Pokhara, Begnas, and a resort in Meghauli, Chitwan. The multinational company has been assisting in the management and development of these properties since the beginning. Late Panday’s sons, Prasidha and Praveen Panday, are expanding the foundation laid by their father in the hospitality sector, striving to maintain high standards of service.

Tourism and hoteliers credit Shyam Bahadur Panday with developing the Lazimpat area into a hotel hub. He was actively associated with national and international tourism organizations, including the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). HAN President Binayak Shah stated that after transitioning from civil service to the tourism sector, Panday's vision significantly advanced Nepal's hospitality industry. "High-class, international-level hospitality services were established in Nepal after his entry," said Shah. "This is considered a significant achievement of that time." Shah also noted Panday's active role in developing tourism policies and regulations, adding, "His contribution to the tourism sector as the chairman of HAN is unparalleled."