RPH Hospitality institute, where Chef Vikas Khanna serves as exclusive mentor, announces a new Academic Excellence Scholarship initiative and pledges to deepen MasterChef India-anchored mentorship faculty to train the next generation of Indian hospitality talent
MUMBAI, India, 22 May 2026: Bunts Sangha’s Ramanath Payyade College of Hospitality Management Studies (RPH), the NAAC B++ accredited Mumbai institute where Michelin-starred Chef Vikas Khanna serves as exclusive mentor, today announced the launch of the Chef Vikas Khanna Scholarship, a new academic excellence scholarship initiative from the 2026-27 academic session. Applications are open with immediate effect. The announcement follows Chef Khanna’s inclusion in TIME magazine’s 2026 list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World, published on 15 April 2026.
Chef Khanna, whose TIME 100 citation was written by James Beard Award-winning chef and Le Bernardin co-owner Eric Ripert, is the founder of Junoon, which held a Michelin star for eight consecutive years, and Bungalow, a Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient in New York. He has been formally designated “RPH Mentor” at the institute, where his involvement is listed as a core pillar of the college’s academic programme alongside Principal Chef Yogesh Utekar, a 10-season veteran of the core team behind MasterChef India.
“Chef Vikas Khanna’s TIME 100 recognition is a landmark moment for Indian hospitality, and a deeply personal one for every student at RPH who has worked with him,” said Chef Yogesh Utekar, Principal, RPH College of Hospitality Management Studies. “We do not have a celebrity on a brochure. We have a working mentor whose philosophy shapes how we teach. The Chef Vikas Khanna Scholarship is our way of honouring his journey from Amritsar to the world and extending that access to students who may not otherwise afford world-class hospitality education.”
Scholarship Programme Details
The Chef Vikas Khanna Academic Excellence Scholarship will recognise and encourage outstanding academic performance among students of the B.Sc. (Hospitality Studies) and B.A. (Culinary Arts) programmes affiliated with the University of Mumbai. The scholarship will be awarded to deserving students based on their academic performance during the first and second year of their studies, along with their overall commitment towards excellence in hospitality and culinary education. The initiative reflects RPH’s continued commitment towards nurturing talent and supporting deserving students in their professional journey.
The scholarship programme further strengthens RPH’s existing ecosystem of student support initiatives offered through the Trust, NGOs and the MahaDBT scholarship schemes of the Government of Maharashtra.
RPH alumni are placed at Marriott, Grand Hyatt, Oberoi, Trident, Sofitel, St. Regis, JW Marriott, Jio and Aditya Birla New Age Hospitality, with international career pathways into the UAE, Europe, and Southeast Asia through RPH’s global partnership network.
About RPH College of Hospitality Management Studies
Bunts Sangha’s Ramanath Payyade College of Hospitality Management Studies located equidistance from Chunabhatti and Kurla (East) railway station and it is just 7 minute drive from BKC, Mumbai, is an NAAC B++ accredited institute affiliated with the University of Mumbai. Established in 2009 under the Bunts Sangha Mumbai trust (founded 1927), RPH offers undergraduate programmes in B.Sc. (Hospitality Studies) and B.A. (Culinary Arts). The college is recognised by leading hospitality industry bodies including WICA, AHAR, FH&RA and IFCA. RPH operates an Earn & Learn programme providing students with paid industry experience during their studies. Website: www.rph.bunts.edu.in
About Chef Vikas Khanna
Chef Vikas Khanna is an internationally acclaimed Indian chef, restaurateur, author of over 40 cookbooks, and filmmaker. He is the founder of Bungalow, a Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient, and Junoon, which held a Michelin star for eight consecutive years, both in New York. A long-standing judge on MasterChef India, he led the #FeedIndia initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic, which delivered over 30 million meals across 135 Indian cities. He was named to the TIME 100 Most Influential People of 2026, with a tribute written by James Beard Award-winning chef and Le Bernardin co-owner Eric Ripert.
The institution is accepting admission enquiries on BuntsConnect.com.
