THE BUSINESS OF EDUCATION - International Indian

[ FROM UK ]
Dare to Achieve
“Many terms are commonly used to describe British Indians – Indians, South
Asians, British Asians, even Br-Asians. There are more than two million people
in Britain from the Indian subcontinent and around half of them are from
India itself. If you think India and Indians affect the UK in a big way that
impact is only going to increase. In the future India is going to become an even
bigger part of the global scenario.”
[ By SARINA MENEzES ]
The Indian community in the UK
is already the largest minority
national group. London for example
would not be the hugely successful city it is,
and indeed it would be a very different city,
without the economic, cultural and social
contribution that Indians bring to the capital
and the country.
The International Indian meets three
Indians who with their business acumen,
skills, courage and a dare to achieve attitude
have made great strides in their respective
fields, adding value and contributing to the
economy.
Asheesh Dewan, 39, owns and manages
seven restaurants under the Jaipur chain of
fine dining restaurants in Ireland and the
stylish Benares located in Mayfair, London.
He is also a partner in the technology
consultancy firm, Segala, which is based
in Sandyford. With a business turnover of
12.7 million euros per annum, his employee
strength is over 170.
Asheesh moved to Ireland from India
in 1995. All he arrived with was loads of
determination, his culinary skills and well
rounded experience with world class hotels
like The Oberoi Group and The Hyatt.
He was recently presented with the TSB
Permanent Ethnic Entrepreneur of the Year
Award 2008 in Ireland. Permanent TSB is
one of Ireland’s leading banks and financial
institutions. The award aims to celebrate,
promote and encourage ethnic entrepreneurs
Asheesh & Rupa Dewan receiving the TSB Permanent Ethnic Entrepreneur of the Year 2008 Award
grow their businesses and promote value
and community integration of Ethnic
Entrepreneurs.
“My wife Rupa was already in Ireland
running lifestyle boutique stores which she
was on the verge of giving up to start our
home. Dublin at that time lacked stylish fine
dining restaurants and we both had a vision to
start one. I went on to do an MBA degree and
in 1998 started our first restaurant, Jaipur,”
shares Asheesh.
“The fact that I was Indian did not matter
at all, in fact personally it’s an advantage as
we are more driven, aggressive but optimistic
with the great pain and emotional threshold
that keeps us going. On the business front,
it took a lot to convince bankers about the
proposition because they receive so many
each day and the market is crowded with food
businesses trying to survive,” adds Asheesh.
“However, setting up and surviving
the first one is always the most difficult
and toughest. My confidence was firmly
established once Jaipur was; and the
concept of eating Indian food in a stylish
environment became popular in the market.
But my true motivation was Rupa.
Her constant encouragement led me
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THE INTERNATIONAL INDIAN