Opening avenues for culinary diplomacy
On May 21, 2021, the 'Indian Council for Cultural Relations' (ICCR) presented its yearly Lecture series, the '4th Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Memorial International Oration' on the occasion of World Culture Day.
This year's oration was about 'Insights into India's Culinary Traditions', which focused on the multi-dimensional aspects of Indian culinary traditions and their diversity. It emphasised the possibility of opening avenues for culinary diplomacy to showcase India's soft power and its culinary heritage on the world stage. India has more than a billion kitchens, each of which has a long history of culinary methods and values that have passed from one generation to the other.
The oration was delivered by an eminent international expert and a skilled writer on the history of Indian cuisine, Dr Colleen Taylor Sen. The chair remarks were delivered by Dr Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, President, 'ICCR'.
In his opening remarks, DG, 'ICCR' deliberated upon the need of entailing cuisine and culinary heritage of India as an important part and tool of cultural diplomacy. Ambassador Banashri Bose Harrison expressed her thoughts on the rich and robust culinary traditions of India and the role of policymakers in propagating the same throughout the world. She emphasised the recognition needed for the promotion of Indian dishes and their cookery throughout the globe.
The keynote speaker of the event, Dr Colleen Taylor Sen, gave a tour de horizon of Indian culinary traditions in history and talked about how Indian spices and ingredients travelled the world and left a footprint for generations to follow calling it the 'culinary voyage' of India. She mentioned that 'vegetarianism was first introduced in India and became popular in many countries like Greece and the UK.'
President, 'ICCR', spoke about the importance of food for Indians and how it is a sacred ritual for any Indian to consume food. He asserted that the recognition of Indian chefs and restaurateurs will help create a sustainable ecosystem for the promotion of Indian cuisine. He also floated the idea of decorating Indian restaurants and chefs with the 'Annapurna Award' for their contribution towards the promotion of Indian food and cuisine.
The oration was followed by a panel discussion of renowned chefs and restaurateurs serving or promoting Indian cuisine in India and around the world. They talked about the role of Indian food in the dissemination of Indian culture abroad and how Indian restaurants have evolved over the years. Their discussion mainly revolved around the rise of Indian cuisine in the world and the impact it left on the lives of millions of people across the world.
