Mr. PG Shanmugam made a big shift in 1989, leaving the oil and ice industries behind to focus solely on launching Shri Ganesh Bhavan in T Nagar, Chennai.
Facing struggles in his previous ventures, he saw potential in the restaurant industry and decided to start afresh. And with that decision, Shri Ganesh Bhavan began its journey.
Starting small in T Nagar
T Nagar, one of Chennai’s most lively hotspots, has always drawn visitors looking for a place to shop and stay. Recognizing this constant demand for warm and welcoming accommodations, Mr. PG Shanmugam established the Shri Ganesh Bhavan Hotel here decades ago.
In the early days, the hotel would serve traditional South Indian dishes exclusively to hotel guests who wished to savour local delicacies. While guests loved their hospitality, something unexpected happened: their food became the real star! Soon the buzz grew beyond the hotel’s walls, leading them to start focusing on what they did best.
Realizing their food was a hit, they opened their restaurant to the public in 1989, expanding beyond guests staying at the hotel. Around that time, another South Indian restaurant had also opened near their hotel in T Nagar. Seeing the growing demand for it, they realised setting up their own restaurant would be a sensible move.
Then in 2000, Mr. PG Shanmugam’s son, Vinodh Kumar, stepped into the business, followed by his brother Karthikeyan in 2011, who joined to carry Shri Ganesh Bhavan forward. Karthikeyan trained under his father for five years before fully taking charge, bringing new energy while preserving traditions.
