Asian Hotels Limited in India owns and operates one of the world's leading international hotel brands; which specific hotel brand is managed by Asian Hotels Limited in the Indian market?

Introduction / Context:
This question checks knowledge of hospitality sector business awareness, specifically the relationship between an Indian hotel owning company and a global hotel brand that it operates. Many large Indian hotel groups, such as Asian Hotels Limited, own properties that are managed under franchise or management contracts with famous international brands. Remembering which Indian company is associated with which global name is important in business general knowledge, because such partnerships often appear in news articles, corporate case studies and exam questions related to services and tourism.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The company named in the question is Asian Hotels Limited, which owns and operates hotels in India.
- The options given are four well known hotel brands: Le Meridien, Hyatt Regency, Hilton and Welcome.
- The question asks which of these brands is operated in India under ownership of Asian Hotels Limited.
- We assume the focus is on flagship properties such as those in major cities like Delhi or Mumbai.

Concept / Approach:
The key to solving this question is to recall the long standing association between Asian Hotels Limited and the Hyatt group. Asian Hotels originally developed and owned high profile properties in India that operate under the "Hyatt Regency" brand name, particularly in New Delhi and some other major cities. In such arrangements, the brand owner, Hyatt, provides management expertise, systems and global marketing, while the local company, Asian Hotels, owns the physical assets and handles investment. The other options, such as Le Meridien and Hilton, are also prominent international brands, but their main Indian properties are associated with different local owners and groups. The Welcome brand is linked to ITC and not to Asian Hotels Limited.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify that the question is about a match between an Indian hotel owning company and a global hotel brand. Step 2: Recall that Asian Hotels Limited is historically connected with hotels that carry the "Hyatt Regency" name in India. Step 3: Note that Le Meridien and Hilton operate in India through other ownership structures and are not primarily branded properties of Asian Hotels Limited. Step 4: Recognise that Welcome is associated with ITC, not Asian Hotels, which confirms that Hyatt Regency is the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
As an additional check, one can think about famous hotel names in New Delhi. "Hyatt Regency Delhi" has long been identified in media and travel guides as being owned by Asian Hotels Limited, while Hyatt provides the international chain standards. News articles on Asian Hotels often mention Hyatt Regency specifically when discussing the performance of the company. On the other hand, Le Meridien has been linked to different Indian owners and later brand changes. Hilton has partnered with several other Indian developers. The Welcome group is clearly connected with ITC, widely known as ITC Welcomgroup. This cross check confirms that Hyatt Regency is the brand operated by Asian Hotels Limited.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Le Meridien: Although a recognised international brand, its main Indian properties are not primarily owned by Asian Hotels Limited, so selecting it would not match the company mentioned in the question.
Hilton: Hilton works with various Indian partners but is not the specific brand historically owned and operated by Asian Hotels Limited, so this option is incorrect.
Welcome: The Welcome or Welcomgroup brand is linked with ITC, which runs ITC hotels and Welcome hotels, not Asian Hotels Limited, so this choice is also wrong.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent error is to pick a familiar sounding luxury brand like Hilton without remembering the exact ownership and partnership details in India. Some students also confuse management contracts with ownership, assuming that any international chain operating in a city must own the property, which is rarely the case. Another pitfall is mixing up Welcome with generic hospitality branding, even though it is clearly tied to ITC. To answer such questions correctly, it is useful to make a small table linking Indian hotel owning groups with the global brands that manage their properties.

Final Answer:
Asian Hotels Limited in India owns and operates properties under the Hyatt Regency brand, so Hyatt Regency is the correct option.