Jiggs Kalra, icon of India's culinary revolution, dies after prolonged illness

Jiggs Kalra was the brain behind award-winning restaurant concepts such as Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra, Made in Punjab and Farzi Café and Pa Pa Ya

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Surabhi Pandey
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Jiggs Kalra, icon of India's culinary revolution, dies after prolonged illness

J Inder Singh Kalra, popularly known as Jiggs Kalra, fed dignitaries like Princess Diana, former US president Bill Clinton. (Photo: Vir Sanghvi/Twitter)

Jiggs Kalra, the icon of India’s culinary revolution, died after prolonged illness on Tuesday. The food pioneer, who reinvented the lost cuisines of the yore, is best remembered for his restaurants such Punjab Grill, Made in Punjab and Masala Library, books and brilliant TV shows. According to the Indian Express, Kalra authored 11 books on Indian cuisine, among which, Prashad is considered the Bible for chefs in India. Several celebrities took to Twitter to mourn the loss and remember the loss of ‘Czar’ of Indian cuisines.

 

Senior journalist Vir Sanghvi posted an emotional goodbye message for Kalra. “Goodbye old friend. The great Jiggs Kalra who did so much to rediscover the lost secrets of Indian food and who gave chefs their rightful place in the sun goes off to that great kitchen in the sky to ensure that the gods eat his wonderful food. There will never be another Jiggs,” Sanghvi wrote on Twitter.

 

Sanghvi also spoke about Kalra’s son Zorawar. “My deepest condolences to ⁦@ZorawarKalra⁩ & Dildeep.They were the best son & daughter-in-law Jiggs Kalra could ever have hoped for. At this sad time I remember how Zorawar kept his father’s legacy alive and turned Jiggs’s name into a global brand.I know how proud Jiggs was,” Sanghvi added.

 

Acclaimed film director Hansal Mehta said that Kalra’s recipes shaped his ‘passion for cooking. “RIP Jiggs Kalra. Thank you for introducing me to Indian food and it's treasure of recipes. All your books adorn my bookshelf and the masala and oil on each page is testimony to how your recipes have shaped my passion for cooking,” Mehta said. 

 

Communication specialist Vivek Sengupta spoke fondly about Kalra’s stint at Illustrated Weekly of India. “From being a member of Khushwant Singh's dream team at the Illustrated Weekly of India to being acknowledged as the doyen among the country's culinary experts, #JiggsKalra had a fantastic journey. RIP,” Sengupta said. 

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