Friday
26th Apr 2024
Dhivehi Edition
Salil with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award.
Salil Panigrahi, one of the founders of the Atmosphere Group, has received the highest honor granted by the Government of India to its non-resident citizens.
Panigrahi has conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award at a ceremony held at Maagiri Hotel yesterday. The award was handed over by Abdulla Shahid;the current Minister of Foreign Affairs and the President of the 76th United Nations General Assembly, who is currently on an official visit to the Maldives.
Dr.Abdulla Mausoom, the Minister of Tourism, also participated in the ceremony. The award had been conferred to Panigrahi for his services to tourism.
The ceremony had been organized by the Indian High Commission in the Maldives.
Panigrahi began his career as a chartered accountant working in the finance department of Oberoi Hotels and Resorts. He later was hired by the Six Senses Group; founded by Sonu Shivdasani, and lead its Finance Department.
In the early 2000s, Panigrahi partnered with investors from the Maldives to form EoN Resorts. EoN resorts had lead the development of Island Hideaway, Constance Halaveli Resort, Jumeira Dhevanafushi, J.W. Marriott Maldives Resort, Sentara Grand Island Resort.
In 2012, Panigrahi co-founded the resort management company, Atmosphere Hotels, and Resorts. The company developed Atmosphere Kanifushi, OBLU by Atmosphere at Helengeli, and others.
The Atmosphere Group is currently expanding its business in the Maldives and in neighbouring Sri Lanka. While two resorts in the Maldives will be opened later this year, their resort in Tangalle will be opened next year.