Varanasi Nagar Nigam in partnership with Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and Swiggy launches Varanasi ka Swaad, Swiggy ke Saath
Varanasi : Swiggy (Swiggy Ltd, NSE: SWIGGY / BSE: 544285), India’s pioneering on-demand convenience platform, today announced a strategic partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and the Varanasi Nagar Nigam to roll out a new initiative titled “Varanasi ka Swaad, Swiggy ke Saath”. Designed with the objective of celebrating the rich food heritage of the city of Varanasi, this initiative is aimed to provide convenient access to iconic local foods to millions of visiting tourists and residents of the city. The initiative was officially unveiled in the presence of the Chief Guest, Shri. Ravindra Jaiswal, Honorable Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Stamp, Court Fee & Registration, Uttar Pradesh and MLA (Varanasi North).
The representatives from 12 iconic local food outlets were felicitated by the Chief Guest at the event, These include Popular Baati Chokha, Chachi ki Prasiddh Kachori, Laxmi Chai, Pahalwan Lassi, Gama Paan Bhandar, Kaashi Chaat Bhandar, Neelu Kachori, Taste King, Pathak Ji Thandai Waala, Netaji Paan Bhandar, Gauri Shankar Kachori Wala, and Banarasi Paan Mandir (Luxa). A formal certification by the Tourism Department in the form of a plaque that communicated heritage, pride and quality assurance was handed over to all the felicitated outlet representatives.
As part of the rollout, Swiggy shared that beautifully designed traditional pushcarts will be stationed at some of the most popular ghats in the city of Varanasi, namely Namo Ghat, Assi Ghat, and Dashashwamedh Ghat. Visitors at the ghats can enjoy a wide range of popular food items from these iconic and celebrated local eateries.
Talking about the initiative, Shri Bhuvnesh Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India shared “Varanasi’s food traditions are a reflection of its history, culture and the creativity of its people. The city’s iconic delicacies, prepared by generations of local vendors and eateries, are an important part of its tourism appeal. We welcome Swiggy’s initiative to support these culinary ambassadors by providing them a platform to reach a larger audience, including visitors exploring the city. Such collaborations play an important role in preserving local food heritage while creating sustainable opportunities for our food entrepreneurs.”
Speaking about the initiative, Shri Satyendra Kumar, District Magistrate, Varanasi, “It is our Prime Minister’s vision to transform Kashi into a world-class tourist destination. The recently announced One District, One Cuisine (ODOC) initiative by the UP Government is aimed at promoting Varanasi’s culinary heritage in India as well as globally with focus on iconic food items of the city- from ‘Paan’, ‘Malaiyo’, ‘Kachori’ to ‘Lassi Thandai’. With the initiative by Swiggy, the city’s traditional food culture will get further visibility amongst tourists and locals, and in turn, help further establish recall for them.”
Added Rohit Kapoor, CEO, Swiggy Food Marketplace, shared “Food is an integral part of a city’s cultural heritage and we are confident that this initiative will go a long way in promoting the local and iconic delicacies of the city to millions of tourists who visit the holy city. Swiggy stands for convenient access, and with this partnership, we are thrilled to get more customers to explore the culinary heritage of this beautiful city. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and the Varanasi Nagar Nigam for their unwavering support in helping us bring this vision to life.”
Swiggy has been committed to empowering restaurant partners across the country and continues to roll out initiatives aimed at further enabling the growth of their businesses.
