INDIA. Adani Group’s ongoing support for Mitti Café is paving the way for its expansion, with outlets set to open at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad and the soon-to-be-operational Navi Mumbai International Airport.
The café, founded by Alina Alam, is a social enterprise dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities through skill development and employment opportunities.
The first airport Mitti Café was launched at Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru – this subsequently led to other airport openings, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai and Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow.
The café’s partnership with Adani Group took a heartwarming turn recently when Adani Airports Holding Director Jeet Adani and his fiancée Diva Shah visited Mitti Café at Mumbai Airport to invite the team to their upcoming wedding.
Mitti Café Chief Marketing Officer Mobasher Alam recalled: “Our journey with Jeet Adani has been nothing short of extraordinary. It was his ad hoc decision to give us a space at Mumbai Airport – one that resulted in the first job opportunity for dozens of people.
“When he was invited as the chief guest for our café launch, we expected a quick appearance, some pleasantries and a goodbye. Instead, he stayed for hours. He listened, laughed and took pictures. He made our team feel seen.”
Now, 20 team members from Mitti Café – across Mumbai, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad – will attend Jeet Adani and Diva Shah’s wedding.
Empowering Abilities: How Alina Alam and Bangalore Airport began an inspiring journey with Mitti Café“This award recognises a remarkable concept. It relates to a chain of cafés that are completely managed by adults with physical, intellectual and psychiatric challenges, a chain now present in more than 40 locations across a nation, including several airports. “Mitti Café in India is a social enterprise dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities by providing them with opportunities for economic independence and dignity. “Founder and CEO Alina Alam started Mitti Café at just 23 with a powerful dream: to show the world the magic of abilities, not the supposed limitations of so-called disability. I saw her speak during a workshop a few weeks ago in Bengaluru and like everyone in the room was deeply moved by this slip of a woman’s guts, courage, compassion and unwavering determination to make a difference.  “The work done by Mitti Café extends beyond serving food; it creates a platform for skill development, employment and social integration. “But such ventures need support, believers, champions. And in the far-sighted management of Bangalore International Airport Limited, Alina and Mitti Café found exactly that. “For their inspirational and pioneering collaboration in opening the first airport Mitti Café at Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru – one that subsequently led to other airport openings – and thus enriching the lives not only of those who work there but those who are served there, we jointly make this award to Mitti Café Founder & CEO Alina Alam and Bangalore International Airport Limited.” – The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie, speaking at the 2024 Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Awards in Ontario, California in June 2024 and presenting the 2024 FAB Humanitarian Award to Mitti Café Founder and CEO Alina Alam and Bangalore International Airport Limited Click here for the full Mitti Café story. |
Mobasher Alam emphasised: “For our team of adults with disabilities, this invitation isn’t just about attending a wedding. It’s about inclusion and being valued.”
Mitti Café’s impact has been widely recognised, with founder Alina Alam named in The Moodie Davitt Report People of the Year 2024 for her groundbreaking work in disability inclusion. Along with Bangalore International Airport Limited, Alina Alam was also a co-recipient of the 2024 FAB Humanitarian Award.
Mobasher Alam said: “Too often, society tries to push persons with disabilities into the shadows, treating them as invisible. But here they are not just present, but welcomed.” ✈
