The Government of India has awarded a global award to a West Midlands Indian for its ‘authentic Indian cuisine’

Asha’s Restaurant & Cocktail Bar in Birmingham has won a rare global award from the Government of India for the outstanding promotion of “authentic Indian cuisine”.

The venue on Newhall Street, a favourite with visiting celebrities as well a popular place for local diners, was one of just five restaurants globally and the only one in the UK to receive the Annapurna Certificate.

Nominations were considered from 39 countries.

The award from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations recognises and honours restaurants that make “outstanding contributions” to “introducing Indian gastronomy to local communities abroad and enhancing cultural exchange”.

Nouman Farooqui, general manager of Asha’s Birmingham, explained that he headed a delegation from the restaurant to pick up the award at a special ceremony in New Delhi on Wednesday 9 April.

Mr Farooqui said: “We are thrilled to have been recognised by the government of India as a place which specialises in the highest quality of Indian cuisine.

“We are also honoured as we know these certificates are rare stamps of approval from India, with only a single UK restaurant receiving one in this year’s awards, and one of only five presented globally.

“We enjoyed attending the special awards ceremony in New Delhi and we will now be giving pride of place on the walls of Asha’s to our new Annapurna Certificate.”

The award for Asha’s comes just months after it was named in seventh place in the top 10 UK Indian restaurants in the annual British Indian Good Food Guide last autumn, the only Birmingham venue making the Top 20.

It also comes just under a year since Asha’s management spent £500,000 on a major refurbishment and refresh of the restaurant, which was first launched in Birmingham in 2006.

Mr Farooqui added: “This kind of special recognition is well deserved by all our top chefs and staff, and it makes us proud of our recent refurbishment of the city’s favourite Indian restaurant.”

Asha’s has gained global recognition on numerous occasions with Hollywood A-listers such as Tom Cruise, John Malkovich and Jack Black, singers Pink and Ed Sheeran and the Rolling Stones all enjoying its food and cocktails.

It has also received the seal of approval from acclaimed chefs such as Glynn Purnell, Heston Blumenthal, Paul Rankin and James Martin.

Asha’s is named after legendary Hindi singer Asha Bhosle, renowned across the world as one of the best-selling recording artists of all time. She has a passion for food with restaurants throughout the Middle East, and further outlets are planned for the UK and North America.