NRAI Bengaluru announced key leadership changes; an inclusive job mela brings together leading restaurant brands and specially abled job seekers, reinforcing the hospitality sector’s commitment to accessible employment.
In a significant step towards building a more inclusive hospitality workforce, the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) Bengaluru Chapter, in collaboration with Mitti Café, organised a dedicated job mela that connected more than 110 persons with disabilities to employment opportunities across Bengaluru’s thriving restaurant and hospitality industry.
Held at Mirage on St. Marks Road, the initiative brought together job seekers and employers on a common platform, enabling candidates to explore career opportunities while helping hospitality businesses access a wider and often underrepresented talent pool. The event saw participation from more than 30 restaurant and hospitality brands, including Empire, Nagarjuna, Nandhana Palace, Samosa Party, Geist Brewing Company, Just Blr, Knowhere, 13th Floor, NH 8 and V&RO.
The initiative builds upon a broader collaboration announced earlier this year between NRAI Bengaluru and Mitti Café to promote inclusive hiring practices within the restaurant industry and create greater employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. The partnership also seeks to encourage restaurants to improve workplace accessibility and adopt more inclusive workforce policies.
Speaking at the event, Ananth Narayan, Chapter Head, NRAI Bengaluru, highlighted that while the restaurant sector is among India’s largest employers of young and diverse talent, certain sections of the workforce continue to remain outside mainstream hiring conversations. He described the job mela as an effort to bring employers and talented individuals together while encouraging businesses to look beyond traditional recruitment channels.
The event reflects a growing recognition across India’s hospitality sector that diversity and inclusion are not merely social responsibilities but also business imperatives. Industry experts note that organisations embracing inclusive hiring often benefit from stronger workplace culture, greater employee engagement and enhanced customer experiences. As hospitality businesses increasingly focus on people-centric growth, initiatives such as this are helping broaden access to meaningful employment opportunities.
Mitti Café, widely recognised for creating livelihood opportunities for persons with disabilities through its inclusive café model, played a key role in identifying and connecting candidates with prospective employers. Together, the two organisations demonstrated how industry associations, social enterprises and businesses can collaborate to drive meaningful change in workforce participation.
Alongside the job mela, NRAI Bengaluru announced key leadership changes within its chapter. Siddhant Vinod was appointed Co-Chapter Head, while Dheeraj M. Kumar assumed the role of Treasurer. The chapter also recognised the completion of Chris John’s four-year tenure as Chief Enabler and appointed Ajay Kumar K R as Marketing Head.
The success of the initiative underscores the hospitality industry’s growing commitment to creating equitable employment opportunities and demonstrates how inclusive hiring can help strengthen both businesses and communities.
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