Wedding business is expected to be back on track by this December: Rituraj Khanna, CEO, Q Events

EE News Desk Jul 16, 2020

Rituraj Khanna, CEO, Q Events needs no introduction. Under his leadership, Q Events has become a go-to brand when it comes to ultra luxury weddings.

Khanna's journey to success has been a sprint. Literally. Having completed 13 years this month in the industry, he tells us about the journey, his vision for Q Events and why we need to don a positive outlook as we battle the Covid crisis.

Here are some edited excerpts from the interview:

Having completed 13 years in the industry, what would you call your greatest learnings?

On 11th July, I completed 13 years in this wedding industry. I joined this industry at a rather late age, I was 47, but I just overtook this industry in a jiffy. My backing was strong with my sister Geeta Samuel already a name to reckon with, and just on the 2nd day I was doing my first event!

I have learned a lot: relations, friendship, trust; my venues are a place of worship for me. I would say never lie to a client, love yourself and your team, without them we are nothing.

I learnt and I taught. I spread a lot of love and warmth here. I taught the younger generations to respect, I made them part of my life, my daily routine. North, south east or west, India or abroad, I have taught people to stay in touch because communication is very important for me. My biggest learning is that never let anyone down in your life. Whether he or she is a client, friend, relative or an employee- everyone in life is important.

In your view, what is the extent of loss that the wedding industry has faced due to the pandemic?

The loss has been mind blowing, difficult to put into numbers, and it is going to be an ongoing process because as far as I understand this Coronavirus is here to stay. So instead of counting our losses and brooding over them it’s better we come to terms with it and go back to work. It is a big risk, but we can’t keep sitting, to open up we need to send signals across to our staff, some may come some might not. And it’s not only money which we have lost.

With the increasing Covid -19 cases, it seems unlikely that the market will reopen soon. How is the industry looking at its comeback?

Difficult to say, but I plan opening our company after Rakhi and start planning. Winter business is what we are looking at and for that we will have to wait and watch.

We have witnessed a new trend of online weddings but the price points are low. Will it hurt the industry revenue-wise in the long run?

This was only for a few weddings which happened during the last wedding dates. It will not happen again. I am expecting good business with good budgets during the winters.

With the new EEMA leadership in place, has the wedding industry been assured of some economic or relief package or some help in terms of opening up?

I am sure that Roshan, Samit, Vijay and the rest of my friends are trying their level best to take this problem up to the ministers. I had a chat with them yesterday. I am keeping my fingers crossed. But we need to act fast. As of now no relief package or help has been discussed. At least not to my knowledge but I am sure with such a strong team we will be able to achieve something.