Restaurateur Jaspal Inder Singh Kalra – popularly called Jiggs Kalra – who was known as the czar of Indian cuisine, died in Mumbai on Tuesday morning. Although there is no official confirmation from his family, several people paid tributes to the pioneering food columnist on Twitter.

Kalra was unwell for quite some time. He spent his 72nd birthday on May 21 in a hospital, his son Zorawar Kalra had said, reported Mid-day.

Kalra started off as a food columnist and went on to become a food consultant in the 1980s. He also authored over 11 books on Indian cuisine, including Prashad, which is considered “the bible for chefs”.

Kalra played an important role in introducing Indian cuisine to an international audience. He had served several dignitaries, including Princess Diana, Prince Charles, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Bill Clinton.

Kalra was the first Asian to be inducted in the International Food and Beverage Gourmet Hall of Fame. He was also the first to conceptualise and host an Indian food-based television series. He was behind the launch of restaurants like Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra, Made in Punjab, Farzi Café and Pa Pa Ya.

Food critic and EasyDiner co-founder Vir Sanghvi bid goodbye to his “old friend”. “The great Jiggs Kalra who did so much to rediscover the lost secrets of Indian food and who gave chefs their rightful place in the sun goes off to that great kitchen in the sky to ensure that the gods eat his wonderful food,” Sanghvi wrote on Twitter. “There will never be another Jiggs.”