Draft:Vasudeva Adiga

Vasudeva Adiga is an Indian engineer‑turned‑restaurateur whose family name became synonymous with a popular chain of fast‑food restaurants in Bengaluru, commonly known as Adiga’s.

Early Origins

• The culinary legacy began with Nageshwara Adiga, a priest and agriculturist from Shankaranarayana near Kundapur, who migrated to Bengaluru and in 1965 founded a small eatery named Brahmin’s Coffee Bar, located in Shankarapuram. He catered primarily to students with a limited menu including idli, vada, khara bhath, kesari bhath, and coffee.

Education and Career Shift

• Vasudeva Adiga graduated with an engineering degree from BMS College of Engineering in 1984. Though he aspired to pursue an MS in the United States, his visa was denied over concerns about his family's financial status. After a stint working for various companies, he chose to step into the family food business.

Founding of Adiga’s

• Drawing on his exposure to the food trade, Vasudeva borrowed funds from his father to launch SLV (Sri Lakshmi Venkateshwara) Fast Food near Gandhi Bazaar in Basavanagudi. His cousin managed operations, earning a small monthly income from the venture.
• In 1993, he opened his first restaurant under the name Adiga’s on DVG Road, Basavanagudi — a strategic branding decision to promote his family surname analogously to major Indian brand names.

Expansion and Corporate Partnership

• By 2003, the restaurant brand was officially rebranded as Vasudev Adiga’s, to distinguish it from similarly named eateries bearing the common “Adiga” surname.
• In 2012, Vasudeva partnered with New Silk Route, a New York–based venture capital firm. The firm held a majority (51%) stake and accelerated the expansion from roughly 13 outlets to 30, spanning locations including Kolar, Kollur, and Maddur.

Exit and New Ventures

• In August 2017, Vasudeva sold all his shares in Vasudev Adigas Fastfood Pvt Ltd and thus exited the business, relinquishing rights to the brand name (which the company continues to use independently).
• Undeterred, he launched a new venture in 2018 — Sri Anantheswara Foods Pvt Ltd — and introduced Paakashala, opening the first restaurant in JP Nagar. Within a year, he expanded to six Paakashala units and acquired two units of Nandi Upachar.

Business Philosophy

• Vasudeva describes his journey as one of continual learning—“like a phoenix”—rebuilding from scratch with disciplined corporate methods and study of demographics, cuisine preferences, and pricing strategies tailored to different customer segments.
• His casual demeanour belies a strategic mind: he focuses on location selection, menu variety to suit diverse age groups, and balancing affordability across income groups. At Paakashala, lunch or dinner for two typically costs around ₹400, reflecting his approach to accessible, quality food.

Legacy and Impact

Vasudeva Adiga’s journey exemplifies a modern entrepreneurial arc in Bengaluru—from a small familial coffee bar to multiple restaurant chains with distinct identities. His early brand-building around the surname “Adiga” helped establish significant brand recall, while his later ventures reflect a mid‑market model with experimentation and reinvention.

Chronology

Year	Milestone
1965	Nageshwara Adiga opens Brahmin’s Coffee Bar in Bengaluru
1984	Vasudeva Adiga graduates engineering, faces visa denial
1991	Begins SLV Fast Food in Basavanagudi
1993	Launches first Adiga’s on DVG Road
2003	Brand rebranded as Vasudev Adiga’s
2012	Partners with New Silk Route, expands to ~30 outlets
2017	Sells stake and exits original business
2018	Starts Sri Anantheswara Foods; launches Paakashala
2019	Operating six Paakashala and two Nandi Upachar units Deccan Herald+2Deccan Herald+2Wikipedia+2

Notes and References

• This article is based on the feature by Harini Naidu titled “The untold Adiga’s story”, published on Deccan Herald (15–16 August 2019) Deccan Herald+2Deccan Herald+2Deccan Herald+2.

References

https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/bengaluru/the-untold-adiga-s-story-754549.html