ICCR honors the excellence of Indian cuisine - bestows awards on six Indian overseas restaurants

New Delhi, 18 october (Anupma Jain/VNI) Authentic Indian delicacies,Dosa, Chole Bhature, Puri, Chat, Bhel, and Kheer have garnered a widespread following in international communities. As we all know Indian food is rapidly becoming a hot favourite be it West, MiddleEast, Africa or remote area of Costa Rica. Now Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) has come forward and awarded six Indian restaurants for making Indian platter hot favourites The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) has recently acknowledged six exceptional Indian restaurants for their outstanding contribution in popularizing Indian cuisine. The distinguished panel of judges, including Shri Sudhansh Pant, Ms. V. Vidyavathi, Chef Manjit Gill, Shri Arun Parthasarathy, Shri Vishnu Manohar, and Prof. Pushpesh Pant, carefully selected the following establishments: Balaji Dosai in Kandy, Sri Lanka; Indian Street Food & Co. in Stockholm, Sweden; Amber India Restaurant in San Francisco, USA; Naans and Curries, an Ethnic Indian Restaurant in San Jose, Costa Rica; Mumtaz Mahal Restaurant in Muscat, Oman; and Namaste Indian Restaurant in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, the President of ICCR, announced these Annapurna Awards on World Food Day, October 16, during a press conference. The event was graced by the presence of Acting Director General, ICCR, Shri Rajeev Kumar, and DDG, ICCR Shri Abhay Kumar. Also in attendance were Ambassador of Sweden Mr. [Ambassador's Name], senior diplomats from the embassies of Sri Lanka, Costa Rica, Oman, and Mongolia, as well as Chef Manjit Gill, President of the Indian Federation of Culinary Association, and Shri Vishnu Manohar, Executive Chef of Manohar Groups. Dr. Sahasrabuddhe emphasized, “From architecture to textile designing, from education to culinary traditions, every facet is an integral part of our cultural tapestry. When we talk about Indian culture, we are disseminating the essence of our enriched traditions that have spanned millennia, and this forms a core aspect of ICCR's institutional mandate.” There were 115 nominations received from Indian Missions across the globe. The spokesperson from ICCR detailed that the certification comprises a plaque and a memento of Devi Annapurna. The plaques will be ceremoniously presented to the winning restaurants in their respective countries by the Heads of Indian Missions. In addition, to foster closer connections with the owners and chefs of these esteemed restaurants, they will be invited to India for a personal presentation of the Devi Annapurna memento by Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, President of ICCR, in a separate ceremony. The Annapurna Certificate by ICCR stands as a unique testament to recognize and commend Indian restaurants abroad that have significantly contributed to the propagation of Indian gastronomy and culinary heritage. This ICCR initiative aims to celebrate these international proponents of genuine Indian cuisine, thereby promoting cultural exchanges through the universal language of food (VNI).