Highlights of Ashok Kalra’s Valuable Speech at PBD 2025!
Highlights of Ashok Kalra’s Valuable Speech at PBD 2025!
The Embassy of India recommended Mr. Ashok Kalra,(Managing Partner of Mughal Mahal group of Restaurants in Kuwait ) as a panelist in PBD 2025 to speak on Building bridges, Breaking Barriers, and Migrant Skills. He spoke on behalf of the Indian Community in Kuwait. As a member of the multi-million strong global Indian diaspora for nearly five decades, it is a honour for him to be a part of the country’s vibrant migrant story.
“The Indian diaspora, including people of Indian origin, can be found in all corners of the world, and there is one of us now even in outer space, on the US Space Station. Along with making a life for ourselves in the farthest corners of the world, we have also contributed immensely to India’s growth story over the centuries.
Today, I & the Indian diaspora not only support India’s ambitious plans for a Viksit Bharat through our experiences, remittances and investments, we also contribute to building bridges and significantly influencing host communities as well as promoting greater awareness and appreciation of India, its culture, values and beliefs through the soft power we wield.
We help overcome cultural barriers and social prejudices prevailing in many host communities about the Indian
diaspora, and foster relationships that lead to better understanding of, and empathy for, India and its interests.
The eminent panelists on the stage with me today are exemplars in their respective fields and epitomize the soft power of Indian diaspora to overcome challenges, change negative perceptions within host communities, and build bridges with host nations.
My story: I have spent most of my adult life as a migrant living and working in several world capitals, first as an employee, then as an entrepreneur, and now as the Managing Partner in the Mughal Mahal Group of restaurants in Kuwait.
Throughout my life abroad, the one continuous element I have noticed in every country I worked, is a profound appreciation of India, its age-old culture and traditions, and admiration for the unity of its people despite their diversity.
I have also observed among citizens of those countries & in Kuwait a great passion for Indian food. My observations on food are probably a result of our work in the food and hospitality industry all these years.
At Mughal Mahal, my partners and I, along with our dedicated team, have spent the last four decades building a restaurant chain that today is synonymous with the best Indian food in town. This is not my personal opinion, it is supported by repeated independent customer surveys and our long-list of life-long patrons.
Aside from creating a vast number of satisfied patrons among Kuwaitis and expatriates in the country, we have also
cultivated a unique model of food diplomacy that leverages our brand name to create positive perceptions among citizens and residents in Kuwait about India and Indians.
Our interactions with diners not only enrich their gastronomic experience but also expose them to Indian culture and traditions that create enormous goodwill and lay the foundation for a harmonious relationship with India.
Our engagement with diners encourages greater interest in India and all things Indian, as well as creates a fertile ground for developing influential pro-India networks among Kuwaitis, which help influence and drive outcomes favorable to India’s interests, and to the Indian community in Kuwait.
Challenges: Since good food is the easiest way to a person's heart, it stands to reason that we in the food and hospitality sector can do a lot to win the hearts and minds of people in host communities.
Given the importance of these businesses to building bridges between India and Kuwait the government can certainly do more to support and promote this sector
Solutions: A couple of suggestions that the government could help with are: Organizing promotional roadshows in host countries on Indian foods and cuisine, in partnership with Indian food and hospitality businesses there.
Another suggestion is to bring together food and hospitality industry stakeholders from specific regions such as the GCC, Europe, the States, to interact with suppliers to the industry from India, in order to identify and explore areas where
cooperation and coordination could be beneficial for all concerned.
Hospitality training and management institutions could also consider opening a dedicated online job portal where Indian food sector businesses located abroad can advertise employment vacancies and hire qualified staff.
Conclusion: Today, the Indian diaspora in Kuwait is no longer seen as just migrant laborers, we are appreciated and celebrated in host communities for our contributions in building positive, cohesive, harmonious societies in host nations as well as in India.
Jai Bharat , Jai Jagannath!”
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In the Dias Group Photo: Sitting from Left to Right:_
Ashok Kalra,Krishna Murthy,Ashok Mago, P. Kumaran SPL Sec MEA(Moderator),Madam Shoba(Minister),
Mr Murlidharan, Rohit, Sopnendu Mohanty, Mr Kandarp Mehta
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