Curry houses across Bristol are commemorating the forefathers who introduced millions of Britons to a taste of the subcontinent. British Curry Day has been launched to mark those who came to Britain from the 1960s - opening restaurants and takeaways – and to show support for the industry today. And businesses taking part will donate £1 to good causes for every Tikka Masala – the nation’s favourite curry – sold on Wednesday, December 1.
Community champion Naseem Talukdar, from Fishponds, whose own parents ran a restaurant, said: “British Curry has been a key culinary and cultural contribution made by migrants from the Indian subcontinent.“In turn, it has helped to support future generations in the industry - as well as doctors, teachers, engineers and other professions which help their communities.” Naseem’s grandfather, Hassan Ali Talukdar, came from a small village in Bangladesh - then part of the province of Bengal in British India.
He is understood to have managed food and logistics for the British Navy during World War II - until their ship was captured by Germans and they were held as prisoners of war. Naseem’s father, Hazi Mohammed Siddik Ali, came to the UK in the early 1970s and opened his first restaurant in Bath, called Prince of India, in London Road. He later opened Rupali in Kingswood, Bristol, in 1981, which attracted widespread custom at the time as it was one of the first to use a clay oven tandoor. Naseem now heads Rajasthan Royal in Downend and his work in the food industry led him to help the homeless and set up PPAAP.
The takeaway, which joined a pilot scheme to reduce its use of plastic, has been awarded Best Takeaway in the South West in the Asian and Curry Awards. Rajasthan Royal continues to contribute to its community, including its role in the Food4NHS project, in which thousands of free hot meals were delivered to NHS staff. They have donated money to 1625 Independent People, which supports young people aged 16 to 25 at risk of becoming homeless or who are already homeless. UK Curry Connect (UKCC) is a campaign group that has been set up to raise awareness of skills shortages in the Asian catering industry. British Curry Day coincides with 50 years of independence for Bangladesh and it is a national holiday in the country on December 16.
