The Prime Minister's Table: A Culinary History of India's Leaders
A new book promises readers a different lens on India's prime ministers — not through policy or politics, but through what they ate, cooked, and cherished at the dining table.The Prime Minister's Table, by journalists Purabi Shridhar and Sanghita Singh, published by Manjul Publishing House, offers an anecdotal and personal look at the food preferences, family recipes, and dining habits of the country's leaders, from Jawaharlal Nehru to Narendra Modi.
The book draws on interviews with the prime ministers' families, personal cooks, chefs, friends, and acquaintances, as well as visits to restaurants and homes associated with them. The authors trace daily dining choices, family recipes, and the relationships that shaped these leaders' lives outside the public eye.
Personal Stories and Memorable Meals
Among the recollections included in the book is that of Indira Gandhi playing "antakshari" with her doctor. Another anecdote recalls Manmohan Singh helping his wife with the dishes during their early years overseas.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tastes are also documented — his fondness for golden fried prawns at the Taj Mahal Hotel and for chaat in Lucknow. And Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the book recounts, once taught a local BJP worker's wife how to perfect 'sabudana khichdi'.
These vignettes are among the details the authors gathered through interviews with the prime ministers' families, personal cooks, chefs, friends, and acquaintances, as well as visits to places associated with them.
A Personal Look at Public Figures
Sridhar described the project as a difficult undertaking. "Are PMs just political figures, or are there layers beyond their public persona — their homes, friendships, relationships, and dining table talks?" she asked. "The process of putting this book together was long and not easy. Doors were thrown open — by nonagenarians to young people — and doors were also slammed shut. But persistence paid off."
Singh, in turn, said that completing the manuscript felt like more than a journalistic achievement. "When we finished writing this book, it did not feel like a book anymore — it felt like a tribute, an honest tribute to the leaders who shaped the country after independence," she said.
The book steps into the kitchens and dining rooms of India's prime ministers, tracing not just signature dishes but the routines and relationships that surrounded them. Among the vignettes, Indira Gandhi is remembered for playing 'antakshari' with her doctor, while Manmohan Singh is recalled helping his wife with the dishes during their early years overseas. Atal Bihari Vajpayee's fondness for golden fried prawns at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai and chaat in Lucknow is also recounted, as is an account of Prime Minister Narendra Modi teaching a local BJP worker's wife how to perfect 'sabudana khichdi'.
Seven Decades of Food and Politics
The book draws on interviews with prime ministers' families, personal cooks, chefs, friends, and acquaintances, alongside visits to restaurants and homes connected to them. In doing so, it documents seven decades of Indian food and culture, set against shifting political and social landscapes.
The authors trace daily dining preferences, favourite dishes, and family recipes that have survived generations — using food as a means to understand the personal lives and relationships of the leaders.
Shridhar and Singh previously collaborated onThe Seven Sisters: Kitchen Tales from the North-East, a book that documented the food heritage of Northeast India.The Prime Minister's Table is priced at ₹1,499 and is available for purchase both online and offline.
The book has been edited by Priyanka Deshpande and is published by Manjul Publishing House.