Glasgow restaurant's India map on napkins omits North East, sparks backlash
Synopsis
Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain called out a Glasgow restaurant for printing napkins with an India map that erased the entire North East — and parts of Jammu and Kashmir. The incident, which unfolded during a celebratory visit by India's record-breaking Commonwealth Games boxing squad, has put a spotlight on a pattern of cartographic erasure that residents of the region have long flagged.
Key Takeaways
Mister Singh's India restaurant in Glasgow used printed napkins featuring an India map that omitted the North Eastern region and showed an incomplete Jammu and Kashmir .
Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain publicly flagged the error, stating 'every part of India is important and should be represented.' Boxing Federation of India (BFI) President Ajay Singh backed Borgohain and urged the restaurant to withdraw the faulty napkins immediately.
The restaurant, which has operated for over three decades , had not issued an official statement as of the time of reporting.
Indian boxing won a record seven gold medals and 10 medals in total at Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow.
India's overall Glasgow 2026 tally stood at 44 medals — 11 gold, 13 silver, 20 bronze — the country's best-ever Commonwealth Games performance.
A popular Indian restaurant in Glasgow has been drawn into a diplomatic and cultural controversy after its printed napkins featured an outline map of India that omitted the North Eastern region of the country — an error noticed by Olympic bronze medallist boxer Lovlina Borgohain during a visit by members of the Indian Commonwealth Games contingent on 2 August. The restaurant, Mister Singh's India – The Home of Curry, hosted the athletes following India's historic campaign at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow.
How the Controversy Unfolded
Borgohain, who won a silver medal in the 75kg category at Glasgow 2026, was among the visiting athletes who spotted the cartographic error on the restaurant's paper napkins. She publicly called out the omission, stating: 'The map on the napkins is missing our North East. Every part of India is important and should be represented.'
Boxing Federation of India (BFI) President Ajay Singh backed her, pointing to additional inaccuracies on the napkins — including an incomplete depiction of Jammu and Kashmir. Singh urged the restaurant's management to immediately withdraw the faulty merchandise and rectify the map to accurately reflect India's complete territorial integrity.
About Mister Singh's India
Mister Singh's India is a well-known culinary landmark in Glasgow, regularly visited by touring sports teams and dignitaries. Run by four generations of the Singh family over more than three decades, the restaurant blends Punjabi culinary heritage with Scottish influences. As of the time of reporting, the restaurant had not issued an official statement regarding the matter.
India's Record-Breaking Commonwealth Games Campaign
The controversy emerged against the backdrop of a landmark performance by Indian athletes at Glasgow 2026. Indian boxing alone scripted history, bagging seven gold medals — the highest-ever gold haul for the country in Commonwealth Games boxing. Gold medallists included Preeti (54kg), Jaismine (57kg), Sakshi (51kg), Priya (60kg), Arundhati (70kg), Sachin Siwach (60kg), and Ankush Panghal (80kg). Silver medals went to Jadumani Singh (55kg), Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), and Narender (90+kg), bringing the boxing tally to 10 medals overall.
Across all disciplines, India finished the Glasgow Games with 44 medals — comprising 11 gold, 13 silver, and 20 bronze — marking the country's best-ever performance at the Commonwealth Games.
Why the Map Error Matters
India's North East — comprising states such as Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Mizoram, and Sikkim — is frequently under-represented in popular depictions of the country's map, a recurring grievance among residents and public figures from the region. Borgohain herself hails from Assam, lending personal resonance to her objection. Notably, incorrect depictions of India's map — particularly those omitting Jammu and Kashmir or the North East — have historically drawn sharp responses from the Indian government and civil society alike. This incident adds to a pattern of such controversies involving Indian imagery produced or displayed abroad.
With no statement yet from the restaurant, attention will now focus on whether Mister Singh's India moves to recall the napkins and issue a correction — and whether Indian diplomatic channels in the United Kingdom take note of the matter.
Point of View
Advertisements, or restaurant napkins abroad — is not a new phenomenon, and that is precisely the problem. Borgohain's public call-out matters because it comes from an athlete who represents the region on the world stage, and because it happened in a venue hosting India's own sporting delegation. The BFI's demand for a recall is appropriate, but the deeper question is whether Indian missions abroad have any mechanism to flag and correct such depictions before they reach a dinner table. Cartographic accuracy is not a technicality — it carries real political and emotional weight for millions of Indians from the region.
NationPress
2 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which restaurant in Glasgow sparked the India map controversy?
The restaurant is Mister Singh's India – The Home of Curry , a well-known Glasgow dining landmark run by four generations of the Singh family. Its printed napkins featured an India map that omitted the North Eastern states and showed an incomplete Jammu and Kashmir.
Who spotted the error on the napkins?
Olympic bronze medallist boxer Lovlina Borgohain noticed the omission during a visit by the Indian Commonwealth Games contingent. She publicly called out the restaurant, saying every part of India must be represented.
What action has been demanded over the map error?
Boxing Federation of India (BFI) President Ajay Singh urged the restaurant to immediately withdraw the faulty napkins and replace them with a corrected map reflecting India's complete territorial integrity. The restaurant had not responded officially as of the time of reporting.
Why is the omission of India's North East on maps a sensitive issue?
India's North East — comprising eight states including Assam, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh — is historically under-represented in popular depictions of the country's map. Incorrect maps, particularly those omitting the North East or Jammu and Kashmir, have repeatedly drawn sharp responses from the Indian government and citizens. Borgohain herself is from Assam, adding personal significance to her objection.
How did India perform at Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow?
India had its best-ever Commonwealth Games performance at Glasgow 2026, winning 44 medals in total — 11 gold, 13 silver, and 20 bronze . Indian boxing alone won a record seven gold medals and 10 medals overall.
