Two Journeys, One Vision: How Himani Gulati And Raj Manek Are Shaping India’s Exhibition Landscape

The evolution of India’s exhibition sector is deeply rooted in the distinct yet complementary visions of Himani Gulati and Raj Manek. While Himani draws on 25 years of experience to build human-centric business ecosystems, Raj leverages a sophisticated background in finance to scale these platforms into catalysts for global industry transformation.

Himani Gulati: Building Platforms with Purpose

For Ms. Himani Gulati, the exhibition industry has always been about more than organizing events—it has been about creating ecosystems where businesses find visibility, structure, and direction. With over 25 years of experience, her journey reflects persistence, intuition, and an ability to identify gaps long before they become obvious.

In the early years of her career, Himani observed that several industries in India, particularly gifting and stationery, lacked organized platforms to connect with serious buyers. What existed was fragmented, often limiting growth opportunities for businesses trying to scale. This realization became a turning point.

What started as a small segment within a broader exhibition, with just a few exhibitors, gradually evolved into focused platforms that brought together manufacturers, innovators, and buyers from across the country. Over time, these platforms expanded across cities, reflecting both the growing demand and the industry’s need for structured engagement.

Her approach has always been deeply human-centric. She views gifting not just as a commercial activity but as something rooted in culture and relationships. This understanding helped shape platforms that emphasized meaningful connections rather than mere transactions.

Raj Manek: From Finance to Industry Insight

Mr. Raj Manek’s journey into the exhibition world began from a different lens—that of finance. Starting his career in London, he was initially immersed in numbers, systems, and financial structures. However, his curiosity soon pushed him to look beyond balance sheets.

He found himself increasingly interested in understanding what drives business outcomes—how exhibitions are built, how partnerships take shape, and how industries evolve through collaboration. This shift in perspective marked a natural transition from finance into broader business development roles.

For Raj, exhibitions became a way to understand industries at a deeper level. They offered insights into trends, challenges, and opportunities, all within a single space. Over time, this understanding enabled him to focus on building partnerships and expanding platforms that could support industry growth across regions.

Where Their Paths Converge

While their journeys began differently, Himani and Raj share a common belief—that exhibitions are not just marketplaces but catalysts for transformation. Their combined experiences highlight how structured platforms can bring clarity to industries, enabling businesses to connect, collaborate, and evolve.

Together, their perspectives reflect both vision and strategy—one rooted in identifying opportunities on the ground, the other in understanding how to scale them sustainably.

An Industry Reflecting Changing Times

One of the most significant shifts they have both observed is in the way businesses approach relationships. Corporate gifting, once a routine exercise, has gradually become more intentional. Today, it reflects values, identity, and a deeper effort to build meaningful connections.

This evolution is part of a larger change in the business environment, where organizations are becoming more conscious of sustainability, personalization, and long-term impact. The focus is no longer just on what is exchanged, but on what it represents.

Adapting to New Realities

The stationery industry, too, is undergoing a transformation. Once seen as traditional, it is now adapting to modern needs shaped by digital learning, hybrid workspaces, and changing consumer behavior. Despite these shifts, the demand continues to evolve rather than diminish, opening up new avenues for innovation.

Both Himani and Raj see this as a sign of resilience—an indication that industries, when supported by the right platforms, can adapt and grow with time. In 2025 MEX Exhibitions and Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India entered partnership to jointly organise Gifts World Expo and Paperworld as a result expanding footprint of both the shows. The co-located trade fairs create a nationwide platform for both categories: for Gifts sourcing with shows covering different regions like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore & for Stationery sourcing across Delhi and Mumbai. These together spotlight the latest innovations across premium gifting, luxury gifting, corporate gifting and more along with paper, stationery, arts and crafts hobby materials, educational toys and creative learning tools as well as.

Looking Ahead

For Himani, the most meaningful part of her journey lies in seeing industries come together and find direction. For Raj, it is about understanding where industries are headed and helping create pathways that support that growth.

Their stories underline a simple yet powerful idea—that behind every evolving industry are individuals who recognize potential early and work consistently to bring it to life. Through their journeys, they continue to shape spaces where ideas turn into opportunities, and connections lead to lasting impact.