Lavanya Nalli, Vice Chairperson of Nalli Group Companies, a heritage textile brand, has joined the Board of Burma Burma Restaurant & Tea Room, a specialty dining chain that serves Burmese cuisine across India. This collaboration brings together two distinctive businesses that have built their identities around heritage, authenticity, and evolving modern consumer trends.
At Nalli Silks, Nalli has played a significant role in taking the legacy textile brand into newer markets across India and globally. Her work around omnichannel retail and e-commerce has been particularly noteworthy, helping a heritage business embrace new-age consumer behaviour while staying rooted in its core identity.
For Burma Burma, the appointment comes at an interesting stage in the brand’s journey. Known for bringing authentic Burmese cuisine and culture to India through its vegetarian food, distinctive dining experiences and immersive brand environment, Burma Burma has steadily created a differentiated position in the country’s restaurant landscape.
Chirag Chhajer, Co-Founder, Burma Burma, highlights the value of bringing perspectives from outside the traditional hospitality ecosystem. His own journey, from a decade in textiles to building a hospitality business, has shaped his belief that an outsider’s perspective can challenge convention and create new possibilities.
As Chhajer puts it, “ That outsider perspective became my greatest advantage, allowing me to challenge convention and build beyond industry norms.” His focus on business strategy, financial planning, execution, business development and building high-performing teams reflects an ambition that goes beyond simply growing a restaurant chain. He says his larger aspiration is to build “cult-driven businesses”- businesses that remain relevant, loved and respected for generations.
It is this shared philosophy of building enduring brands that makes Nalli’s association with Burma Burma particularly significant. Her experience of scaling a legacy brand, entering new markets and creating contemporary consumer touchpoints complements Burma Burma’s ambition to build a distinctive, enduring hospitality brand.
The collaboration brings together two different business journeys, but a common belief: that strong brands are built by respecting their roots while having the courage to evolve.
Nalli’s experience in building relevance for a heritage-led brand, expanding into new markets and adapting to changing consumer behaviour could add a valuable perspective to Burma Burma as it continues to grow.
The association also brings together two brands that have built their identities around authenticity while continually finding new ways to connect with the modern Indian consumer. For Nalli, the new board role opens another chapter in a leadership journey spanning legacy, innovation, retail and consumer experience.
