On Feb 29 2024, I saw a tweet of William Dalrymple on the subject of curry.
It had following picture, an ad c1955.
I started wondering what Vencat was. After some googling, I found this article dated August 2023 in The Hindu written byA.B. RAJASEKARAN. .
Vencat is "Vencatachellum Madras Curry Powder", "the preferred brand of spice at Buckingham Palace over a century ago."
"Long before Indian companies ventured out to foreign shores, one Indian brand was already truly a global brand. It ruled the global curry powder and pickles industry for close to 100 years. The brand, Vencatachellum Madras Curry Powder, is owned by a company founded by an Adi Dravidar, a scheduled caste, from Madras.
The brand name was synonymous with Madras Curry Powder the world over and continues to be fondly remembered in many countries including the UK and Australia long after its heyday."
"P. Vencatachellum Condiments registered their name, ‘Vencatachellum Madras Curry Powder’ along with distinctive label with peacock as a trademark in the UK and Australia in 1894. P. Venkatachellum’s products were made from the finest ingredients sourced from India and abroad using proprietary recipes. Curry powder was made of red chilies from Odisha, turmeric from Chittagong, coriander from Kerala, and couple of secret ingredients."
"It is an incredible feat that such a large global company
was built by a Dalit family in the 19th Century. This is an example of the
entrepreneurial spirit of Dalits. The fact that the trademark Vencatachellum is
still recalled around the world speaks volumes about the goodwill the company
created."