AAHOA Chairman Miraj S. Patel issued the following statement on the passing of AAHOA Past Chair, Manhar P. (MP) Rama, who passed away Sunday, July 7, at age 74:

America's hotel owners are heartbroken to learn about the passing of an AAHOA icon, Manhar P. (MP) Rama, who served as AAHOA Chairman from 2005 to 2006. Rama is preceded in death by his brothers, Dinu (D.P.) and Jayanti (J.P.) Rama, AAHOA Past Chairman, who passed away in February of 2022. He is survived by his wife, Surekha; children, Sima and Vinay Rama; brothers, AAHOA Founder Hasmukh P. (HP) Rama and Raman P. (RP) Rama; and sisters, Madhu Vivek, Hansa Deva, Pushpa Lala, and Pravina Thakor.

MP was born in Africa and raised in India. He graduated with distinction in civil engineering from M.S. University of Baroda. He came to the United States in 1973 to pursue postgraduate studies in engineering and graduated with a master's degree. 

At AAHOACON22, MP received AAHOA's Cecil B. Day Community Service Award. At that time, he said, 'AAHOA allowed me to develop myself professionally and as a person. The AAHOA membership gave me an opportunity to expand my skills and the ability to think ahead and handle more responsibilities.'

MP was elected as an AAHOA director-at-large in 2001, became the association's treasurer in 2002, served as secretary in 2003, and vice chairman in 2004.

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