New Delhi: The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that Indian food heritage is a mixture of art and science and is exceptionally vast and diverse. He was addressing the gathering after inaugurating the Indian Culinary Institute, Tirupati and two projects in Nellore and East Godavari Districts of Andhra Pradesh, implemented under the Coastal Circuit theme of Swadesh Darshan Scheme of Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh today. The Minister of State for Tourism (I/C), Shri Alphons Kannanthanam, the Minister for Tourism, Andhra Pradesh, Smt. Bhuma Akhila Priya Reddy, the Minister for Industries, Andhra Pradesh, Shri N. Amarnath Reddy and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
The Vice President said that the rich cultural diversity, native ethnicity, unique flavor of each region and different customs are best encapsulated by the Indian cuisine, which became enriched over thousands of years due to the intermingling of people belonging to different religions, languages and eating habits. ‘Annam Parabrahma Swaroopam’, loosely translated as ‘Food is like God’ is a part of our collective conscience and our ethos, he added.
The Vice President said that a painter appeals to visual sense, while a musician plays to auditory senses; an actor performs to engage both, the eyes and ears of the audience. However, a culinary artist has a much more complex role to play, he said. He is said to be successful with his creation if he is able to satisfy all five senses of the recipient; the eyes, ears, touch, smell and taste, he added.
The Vice President said that Indian cuisine reflects the culture and tradition of the country which includes varied landscapes, linguistic diversity, colorful festivals, and multi-ethnicity. He further said that he looks at Chefs as not only the practitioners of their art but also as the protectors and flag bearers of our great culinary heritage and legacy.
The Vice President said that India’s rich cultural, historical, religious and natural heritage provides a huge potential for development of tourism and job creation. He further said that the tourism industry is one of the greatest sources of economic growth and job creation. Tourism sector has become a mass industry in the last two decades and is considered to be a significant sector for regional development, he added.
The Vice President said that he was happy to inaugurate Projects worth 60.37 cr for the development of tourism destinations in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh viz. Nellore Tank, Ramatheertham Beach, Mypadu Beach, Moths Koduri Beach, Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary, Iskapally Beach, B.V. Palem Beach (Pulicat Lake). He further said that he was equally delighted to inaugurate Projects worth 69.82 cr for the development of tourism destinations in East Godavari district viz., Kakinada Beach, Hope-Island, Coringa Wild-Life Sanctuary, Vodalarevu/Pasarlapudi, Aduru, S. Yanam and Kotipalli. These were the schemes which were initiated and followed up by him during the period he was a Central Minister, he added.
Following is the text of Vice President’s address:
“It is a matter of great pleasure for me to inaugurate the Indian Culinary Institute and two projects implemented under the Coastal Circuit theme of Swadesh Darshan Scheme of Ministry of Tourism.
The first project constitutes development of Kakinada – Hope Island – Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary – Passarlapudi – Aduru – S Yanam – Kotipally circuit, while the second project comprises the development of Nellore- Pulikat Lake – Ubblamadugu Water Falls – Nelapattu -Kothakoduru- Mypadu – Ramateertham – Iskapalli circuit.
If variety is the spice of life, Indian cuisine best fits the bill.
The rich cultural diversity, native ethnicity, unique flavor of each region and different customs are best encapsulated by the Indian cuisine, which became enriched over thousands of years due to the intermingling of people belonging to different religions, languages and eating habits.
From Kanyakumari in the South to Kashmir in the North, every cuisine across the length and breadth of India leaves a unique taste in the mouth, irrespective of whether one is a connoisseur of food or a commoner. With every state or region having its own mouth-watering delicacy, the kaleidoscope of the Indian cuisine is quite vast.
I am happy to see and interact with young faces — the budding, aspiring chefs of the future. In my opinion, creating culinary delicacies is the highest form of art. A painter appeals to your visual sense, while a musician plays to your auditory senses. An actor performs to engage both, the eyes and ears of his audience. However, a culinary artist has a much more complex role to play. He is said to be successful with his creation if he is able to satisfy all five senses of the recipient; the eyes, ears, touch, smell and taste. My best wishes to every student present here for a successful career and bright future.
In our tradition, food is not just a means for satiating hunger but is an important part of our culture. Indians cook not only for sensory delights. Food has been an integral part of our socio-cultural life and rituals. Indian cuisine reflects the culture and tradition of the country which includes varied landscapes, linguistic diversity, colorful festivals, and multi-ethnicity.
It should be noted that the different climatic conditions and terrain diversity has provided great choice and the availability of ingredients and spices. Indian food heritage is a mixture of art and science and is exceptionally vast and diverse. ‘Annam Parabrahma Swaroopam’, loosely translated as ‘Food is like God’ is a part of our collective conscience and our ethos.
Indian cuisine has evolved over a period of time, both, through a process of internal churning and also because of various foreign influences. Today, its aroma and flavors have transcended geographical boundaries and it is the preferred choice of commoners and connoisseurs across the globe. I look at Chefs as not only the practitioners of their art but also as the protectors and flag bearers of our great culinary heritage and legacy.
Many of our recipes and part of our food heritage are getting lost because of a lack of documentation, recording and research in this field. Setting up of two dedicated Culinary Institutes by Ministry of Tourism, GoI at Noida and Tirupati is a commendable step in the direction of not only preserving but also promoting our culinary heritage. I am confident that ICI will not only create internationally recognized culinary experts, but also preserve the varieties of Indian cuisine, document them and showcase them internationally. I hope to see these institutes as centers of excellence in the near future.
Today, when the world is grappling with lifestyle diseases and the menace of junk food, our ancient practices of healthy eating, balance of ingredients to get right nutritional balance and the medicinal use of food in curing various ailments need to be researched and presented for the benefit of mankind. We look at these institutes to play pivotal role in this direction. In fact, most of our traditional cuisine caters to our needs based on various seasons.
The flavorful aroma and delicate blend of spices in our cuisine, which is as varied as our country itself, is not only just our cherished heritage but also a very significant tourism product. Today, Culinary Tourism is the buzz word across the globe. Tourists are travelling not only for sightseeing or for pilgrimage but also to taste the local cuisine. Our country has great potential in this regard. We have on offer the cuisines of emperors and of peasants, cuisines of temples and of tribals, cuisines of mountains and of desert or of the coastal belts, besides many others. This is a powerful tourism product which we need to leverage to bring in more and more tourists to visit our country.
I am told that ICI has state-of-art infrastructure which is comparable to the best in the world. This coupled with the expertise of capable chef instructors and support staff will create conducive environment for learning and acquiring the right skills.
I once again convey my best wishes to all of you and look forward to see these institutes position themselves as the world-class premier academic centers in this segment.
Tourism industry is one of the greatest sources of economic growth and job creation. Tourism sector has become a mass industry in the last two decades and is considered to be a significant sector for regional development.
India’s rich cultural, historical, religious and natural heritage provides a huge potential for development of tourism and job creation. The vision of the Government is to position Tourism as an engine for growth and development in an equitable manner (Sab ka Saath, Sab ka Vikas) through employment generation, leading to poverty reduction and promoting Brand India worldwide.
The tourism sector in the country has been on a growth trajectory. India’s ranking in the Travel and Tourism Competitive Index (TTCI) of World Economic Forum moved from 65th position to 52nd position in 2015. Now India has moved up by another 12 positions and ranked at 40th position. In all, in last three years, India has cumulatively improved its ranking by 25 places which is a significant achievement.
Undoubtedly, tourism and hospitality sector is an important driver of growth. With the Indian economy emerging as the fastest growing in the world, there is a huge potential for this sector to generate employment. With more and more youngsters joining this sector, there is a need for establishing more such institutes in the country.
The travel and tourism sector is estimated to have provided employment to 41.6 million people in 2017, accounting for eight per cent of the total employment opportunities generated in the country in the same year. The total jobs in the sector are expected to rise to 52.3 million by 2028.
I think there is also a need for India to start its own rating system for restaurants and chefs on the lines of globally-known Michelin star grading.
The Government is focused on development of quality infrastructure in the country with the objective of providing better experience and facilities to the visitors on one hand and fostering economic growth on the other hand.
I am happy to know that the two projects sanctioned in Andhra Pradesh under coastal Circuit are now complete. The projects will go a long way in development of region by triggering more investment and at the same time bringing more visitors to Andhra Pradesh, and in turn, more employment opportunity to the locals.
