Taunton Indian nominated for Best Restaurant in English Curry Awards 2025
Located at 10 Station Road, Mattancherry is known for its authentic Kerala cuisine and 'exceptional hospitality', making it a 'favourite among locals and visitors alike'.
Supporters can cast their vote and help bring this award home to Taunton by visiting: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/The14thOfficialEnglishCurryAwards2025.
READ MORE: Taunton Indian restaurant recognised in national awards
READ MORE: Taunton Indian restaurant named best restaurant in Somerset
READ MORE: Taunton's Mattancherry awarded 5* Food Hygiene Rating
This marks the fifth consecutive year the South Indian restaurant has been recognised on a national stage, having been a finalist in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
'We're deeply honoured to be nominated once again - it's a reflection of the passion and dedication our team brings to every dish,' said Head Chef Loganathan Ramasamy.
Front of house manager Gopinath Dharmalingam added: 'Our guests are like family to us. This nomination means the world to us because it shows how much people value what we do.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
India and China: US Tariffs Turn Rivals Toward Friendship in Major Geopolitical Shift
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in New Delhi on Monday for a two-day visit viewed by many as the first indication of a thaw in relations between two rivals. The last such meeting took place in 2020 after a border clash heightened tensions between China and India, which have long been locked in a state of controlled hostility. More from Sourcing Journal No Hint of a Slowdown at Arc'teryx Parent Amer Sports Despite Tariff Impacts India Suspends Duties on Raw Cotton Imports, Benefitting US Exporters EU Tech Regulation Could Be Holding Up Final Trade Agreement With U.S. Moving forward in the wake of extraordinarily high U.S. tariffs of 50 percent on India, the two largest economies in Asia are looking for synergy and a positive outlook to navigate the turbulence in global trade. Neither side is pretending past tensions are moot, even though it is clear that geopolitics in South Asia stands at an important crossroads. After their meeting on Monday, India's foreign minister S. Jaishankar said it was time to 'move ahead from a difficult period in our ties,' while Wang Yi indicated it was time to 'move beyond being adversaries, to being partners.' Both sides agreed that 'stability had now been restored at the borders,' although analysts warned that years of mistrust could not 'so easily be swept aside by business interests.' Wang Yi's meeting on Tuesday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his official residence further underlined the effort. After the meeting, Modi tweeted: 'Glad to meet foreign minister Wang Yi. Stable, predictable, constructive ties between India and China will contribute significantly to regional as well as global peace and prosperity.' He added, 'I look forward to our next meeting in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit,' referring to his accepted visit to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1. Pushed further together by what is being seen as a rupture in friendship with President Donald Trump through the punishing 50 percent tariff on Indian goods (the highest in the region), Modi is recalibrating India's strategy. The tariff began with a 25 percent duty for India, compared to 20 percent for Bangladesh, Vietnam and Sri Lanka, along with 19 percent for Pakistan, Cambodia and Indonesia. The additional 25 percent was slapped on India for its imports of Russian crude oil, bringing the total to 50 percent are set to take effect on Aug. 27. India has held firm in its objections to the tariffs, with the Ministry of External Affairs calling the targeting of India 'unjustified and unreasonable.' The overtures to China are viewed as a part of the fallout between the U.S. and India. Premal Udani, former chairman of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) and managing director of Kaytee Corp Pvt Ltd, described the situation as an 'existential crisis for the apparel and textile industry.' He told Sourcing Journal that many U.S. buyers had paused shipments and put new orders on hold. 'The industry cannot take this kind of impact. Current effective duties are already at around 40 percent and will climb to 65 percent next week,' he said. Hopes that a U.S. delegation visit this week might advance bilateral trade talks appear dim, with reports suggesting the visit has been put on hold. 'There were two things happening at the same time. There was talk of a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), and the delegation was coming for that—it wasn't to negotiate on tariffs. Realistically, none of us expected much headway in the BTA until these contentious issues were resolved. We were not holding our breath,' Udani explained. According to a recent report by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), nearly 70 percent of Indian exports to the U.S. will face 50 percent tariffs under the new tariff regime. 'While this represents just 1.56 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) and 7.38 percent of total exports—far from catastrophic for a $3.9 trillion economy—the impact is concentrated in labor-intensive and high-value sectors such as textiles, apparel, gems, jewelry, auto parts, and agricultural products like shrimp. These sectors not only anchor India's merchandise exports to the U.S. but also directly affect employment and the livelihoods of millions. The U.S. alone accounted for approximately 29 percent of India's textile and apparel exports last financial year, valued at about $10.3 billion,' the report noted. Manufacturers have been faced with some dire conversations with the brands and retailers these past weeks. In Tirupur, which accounts for 68 percent of India's knitwear exports, manufacturers have paused shipments and voiced deep uncertainty. U.S. buyers account for nearly one-quarter of exports from Tirupur, and Tamil Nadu officials warned that the entire state—which sends 31 percent of its $52.18 billion exports to the U.S.—faces urgent threats to livelihoods. The Tirupur Exporters and Manufacturers Association (TEAMA) said that 3 million jobs and 20,000 factories are 'at immediate risk' due to the extra 25 percent to 50 percent tariff. The association has appealed to Prime Minister Modi for relief measures, including high-level diplomatic talks, loan-repayment moratoriums, collateral-free working capital loans, and the temporary suspension of the goods and service tax, income tax and other levies for affected exporters. Sanjay Jain, chair of the Indian Chamber of Commerce National Textiles Committee and managing director of TT Ltd, echoed the depth of the crisis throughout the textile and apparel sectors. 'It's a bad situation—buyers are putting orders on hold, and even ready goods are being asked not to dispatch. Exporters are having to give steep discounts just to move shipments or secure new orders. It's a total loss for exporters,' he said. Jain urged urgent action, warning that summer orders were already being placed and India could not afford to lose market share to other countries. 'The U.S. is the single largest buyer of home textiles and apparel in the world—we cannot ignore it. Now it is about the survival of the small and medium companies and skilled labor. The government must act boldly and support the industry in finding new pastures.' His suggestions included quickly reducing raw material costs, removing import duties on cotton and textile raw materials, and offering a 10 percent U.S.-focused incentive for products facing the 50 percent tariff. Other manufacturers told Sourcing Journal that a 'comparative paralysis has set in.' 'While there's no point in hand-wringing over the so-called friendship with the U.S. and casting blame, all eyes are on our government to see how they protect this badly hit, labor-intensive industry. It's hard to see how the government can cover the 30 percent tariff gap monetarily. We need a multi-pronged strategy,' said a Tirupur based manufacturer, requesting anonymity. Prime Minister Modi's Independence Day speech on Aug. 15, in which he promised relief for the industry through tax reforms before the festival of Diwali in November, signals movement toward India holding its own. Additionally, on Monday, the Finance Ministry announced the elimination of the 11 percent duty on cotton imports until Sept. 30, a step welcomed by manufacturers and a move that also eases access for U.S. cotton into India. Hansa Sharma, founder of the eco-friendly sustainable fashion brand Hansa, described how the situation was transforming the entire supply chain in a post: 'This is a reminder that trade policies don't just change numbers on a balance sheet—they reshape entire supply chains. As a manufacturer, we see first-hand how tariffs tilt the playing field, making adaptability and efficiency more critical than ever. While challenges are real, they also push us to rethink sourcing, diversify markets, and lean into innovation. In the end, resilience becomes the true currency of global trade.' A northern India manufacturer, described it as a 'huge ripple effect.' 'In India it is creating a de facto embargo for exports to the U.S., but the impact is much bigger than that. The tariffs are not only straining local supply chains but also reshaping the geopolitics of sourcing in South Asia,' he said, adding that manufacturers were already considering building factories in other countries, although that would result in a loss of employment in India. Despite the palpable tension, not all are swamped in gloom. Many manufacturers endorsed Jaishankar's point to Wang Yi that 'differences must not become disputes, nor competition conflict,' and that the same point could well be applied to the business of sourcing. While the tentative Chinese connections were not immediately seen as bridges to building business, Udani said that they were overall a 'very positive step forward.' 'They need our raw materials and we need a lot of their goods as well. If it works out it's a win-win situation for 25 percent of humanity,' he said. As for the upcoming deadline for additional U.S. tariffs that is causing disruptions across the supply chain, it's still being seen as a possible window to change. 'We're still cautiously optimistic,' said Udani. 'As Russia-U.S. talks are on, and Ukraine-U.S. talks are on, this issue of tariffs for crude oil imports from Russia may well be swept aside for India.' He pointed to China's last-minute extension on tariffs as an encouraging precedent, while acknowledging that 'given the impulsive and uncertain way tariffs are being distributed, it could quite go the opposite way, too.' 'So, Aug. 27 is the date to watch,' he said, referring to the deadline for the second 25 percent in tariff measures to take effect. His optimism went further: 'I wish other countries well, but in the end, India has great strength in its verticality in the sector. It's only a matter of time, and hopefully we will get a chance to get there.' Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
India suspends cotton import duty in signal to US, relief for garment industry
By Nikunj Ohri and Manoj Kumar NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India has suspended an 11% import duty on cotton until September 30, in a move seen as a signal to Washington that New Delhi is willing to address U.S. concerns on agricultural tariffs, while also easing pressure on its garment industry. The temporary suspension, announced late on Monday, could benefit U.S. cotton growers and provide relief to India's apparel sector, which faces tariffs of nearly 60% on shipments to the United States from later this month. A planned visit by U.S. trade negotiators to New Delhi from August 25-29 has been called off, delaying talks on a proposed bilateral trade agreement and dashing hopes of relief from an additional 25% U.S. tariff on Indian goods from August 27. President Donald Trump earlier this month announced an extra tariff on Indian goods as punishment for New Delhi's purchases of Russian oil, doubling the total duty to 50% on U.S. imports of Indian goods from later this month. Indian exports had previously faced levies of 0-5%, with duties on some textiles ranging between 9% and 13% before Trump raised tariffs in April. The United States is the biggest market for India's garment exporters, who say steep tariffs are leading to order cancellations and making them uncompetitive against Bangladesh and Vietnam, which have U.S. duties of 20%, and China at 30%. India's labour-intensive sectors, including textiles, footwear, engineering goods and shrimp, have been jolted by U.S. tariffs, and are now seeking alternative markets. "The largest beneficiary of the duty free import will be the U.S., the second largest supplier to India," said Ajay Srivastava, founder of Global Trade Research Initiative, a New Delhi-based think tank, adding India already allows duty-free cotton imports from Australia within a quota. Cotton imports more than doubled to $1.2 billion in the 2024/25 fiscal year to March, from $579 million a year earlier, led by $258 million from Australia, $234 million from the United States, $181 million from Brazil and $116 million from Egypt, Srivastava said. The sharp rise in U.S. tariffs comes just as India was emerging as a stronger alternative for American garment buyers, with Bangladesh facing political uncertainty and companies seeking to diversify supply chains beyond China. Industry bodies such as the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) had urged the government to scrap the cotton import duty to help make the sector more competitive. Reuters earlier reported that some Indian exporters were scrambling to explore manufacturing options overseas to offset the impact of the higher tariffs. India's garment sector was already grappling with a labour crunch and limited production capacity. The prospect of exporters relocating production abroad poses a further challenge to the government's "Make in India" manufacturing drive. Industry officials now expect the government to extend duty-free cotton imports beyond September. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data


Time Business News
3 hours ago
- Time Business News
How to Read and Understand Your Credit Report in India
Your credit report is one of the most important financial documents you'll ever encounter. It's a comprehensive record of your borrowing history, payment patterns, and creditworthiness that lenders use to make crucial decisions about your loan applications. In India, understanding how to read and interpret your credit report can be the difference between getting approved for that dream home loan or facing rejection. A credit report is a detailed summary of your credit history prepared by credit bureaus. In India, there are four main credit bureaus: CIBIL (Credit Information Bureau India Limited), Experian, Equifax, and CRIF High Mark. Each bureau collects information from banks, NBFCs, and other financial institutions to create a comprehensive profile of your creditworthiness. Your credit report contains information about your credit accounts, payment history, outstanding debts, and credit inquiries. This information is then used to calculate your credit score, typically ranging from 300 to 900, with higher scores indicating better creditworthiness. This section contains your basic details including name, date of birth, PAN number, Aadhaar number, address, phone numbers, and employment information. Always verify this information for accuracy, as any discrepancies can affect your credit score and loan applications. This is the most crucial section, listing all your credit accounts including credit cards, personal loans, home loans, auto loans, and business loans. For each account, you'll find: Account type and ownership: Whether it's an individual account, joint account, or if you're a guarantor Date opened and reported: When the account was opened and last updated Credit limit or loan amount: Your sanctioned limit or original loan amount Current balance: Outstanding amount you owe Payment history: Your monthly payment pattern, showing whether payments were made on time, late, or missed Account status: Active, closed, settled, or written-off Your payment history is typically displayed using codes like '000' for payments made within the due date, '030' for payments made 30 days late, '060' for 60 days late, and so on. This section significantly impacts your credit score, as payment history accounts for about 35% of the calculation. Every time you apply for credit, lenders make an inquiry to check your credit report. These inquiries are recorded and classified as: Hard inquiries: Made when you apply for credit, which can temporarily lower your score Soft inquiries: Made for pre-approved offers or when you check your own report, which don't affect your score This section includes any legal proceedings related to your credit, such as bankruptcy filings, court judgments, or tax liens, though these are less common in the Indian context. Your credit score is a three-digit number that summarizes your creditworthiness. In India, the scoring models typically range from 300 to 900: 750-900: Excellent credit, likely to get loans at best rates 700-749: Good credit, favorable loan terms expected 650-699: Fair credit, may face some challenges 600-649: Poor credit, limited options with higher interest rates 300-599: Very poor credit, loan approval unlikely You can obtain your credit report directly from any of the four credit bureaus through their websites. CIBIL, Experian, Equifax, and CRIF High Mark all offer both free annual reports and paid services for more frequent access. Today's digital landscape has made accessing credit information more streamlined. Financial technology companies and lending platforms often integrate with credit bureau APIs to provide instant credit assessments. The Equifax credit report API, for instance, allows authorized businesses to retrieve credit information in real-time, enabling faster loan processing and more accurate risk assessment. Similarly, other credit bureau APIs have revolutionized how financial institutions access and process credit data. These APIs provide secure, automated access to credit reports and scores, making the lending process more efficient for both lenders and borrowers. Start by checking all personal information for accuracy. Incorrect details can lead to credit report errors and affect your score. Examine each account listed in your report. Verify that all accounts belong to you and check for any accounts you don't recognize, which could indicate identity theft. Look at your payment history across all accounts. Identify any late payments or defaults and understand their impact on your score. For credit cards, calculate your credit utilization ratio (outstanding balance divided by credit limit). Keeping this below 30% is generally recommended for a healthy credit score. Examine the inquiry section to ensure all credit applications are legitimate and made by you. Errors in credit reports are not uncommon and can significantly impact your creditworthiness. Common errors include: Incorrect personal information Accounts that don't belong to you Incorrect payment history Closed accounts showing as open Incorrect credit limits or balances If you find errors, you can dispute them directly with the credit bureau. Most bureaus have online dispute resolution systems that allow you to contest inaccuracies and get them corrected, typically within 30 days. Pay all bills on time: This is the most significant factor affecting your credit score Keep credit utilization low: Maintain credit card balances below 30% of your limit Maintain old accounts: Keep older credit accounts open to maintain a longer credit history Limit new credit applications: Too many inquiries in a short period can negatively impact your score Monitor regularly: Check your credit report at least once a year for errors or fraudulent activity The integration of credit bureau APIs into financial services platforms is transforming how credit information is accessed and utilized. These technological advances are making credit assessment faster, more accurate, and more accessible to both consumers and lenders. As India moves toward a more digital financial ecosystem, understanding these technological aspects becomes increasingly important for consumers navigating the credit landscape. Understanding your credit report is crucial for maintaining good financial health in India's evolving credit ecosystem. Regular monitoring, accurate interpretation, and proactive management of your credit profile can open doors to better financial opportunities and favorable lending terms. As technology continues to reshape the credit industry through advanced API integrations and digital platforms, staying informed about your credit status becomes both easier and more important than ever. Remember, your credit report is not just a reflection of your past financial behavior—it's a key that unlocks your future financial possibilities. TIME BUSINESS NEWS