Later, under the control of Kirit and wife Meena, the family firm dropped the h in their name and grew to supply 90 per cent of Britain s 7,500 Indian restaurants. Their cooking sauces, pastes, chutneys and pickles became a hit in over 40 countries.
The booming brand, worth £200million, was eventually moved to Leigh, Greater Manchester, before it was sold to Associated British Foods (ABF) 14 years ago.
George Weston, chief executive of ABF, said: Kirit was blessed with entrepreneurial flair, astute business acumen and a passion for authentic Indian cuisine. From humble beginnings he and Meena created an incredible business - all built on the concept of making Indian-style meals easy and accessible for time-poor people.