Komala Vilas

Komala Vilas Restaurant was started in 1947 by Murugaya Raju. This family-run restaurant is renowned for its authentic South Indian vegetarian cuisine. It also has the distinction of being the restaurant where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi dined with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Murugaya Raju arrived in Singapore from Thanjavur, India, in 1934 at the age of 14. He joined the Karunananda Vilas restaurant on Serangoon Road as an assistant. Having learned the trade, he bought the restaurant from the owner for $10,000 in 1947 and relaunched it as his own. He changed the name to Komala Vilas. Komala was the name of the previous owner's wife. Raju renamed the restaurant as a tribute to his former employer. The restaurant moved to a two-storey shop at 76-78 Serangoon Road in the 1950s.

Komala Vilas is known for hiring experienced Indian chefs to craft delicious vegetarian cuisine. In addition to the first outlet, Komala Vilas also operates under the same name at No. 291 Serangoon Road. Another outlet on Upper Dickson Road sells sweets and snacks.

Raju Gunasekaran, son of the founder, took charge of Komala Vilas in 1990. After he retired, his son, Rajakumar Gunasekaran, took over in 2015.

A third-generation owner, he added North Indian vegetarian cuisine to the menu. In 2020, he opened Fennel by Komala Vilas, an Indian vegetarian restaurant with innovative cuisine, at 413 River Valley Road.

Another son of Raju, R.T. Shekhar, launched Komala's in 1995 as a restaurant serving Indian cuisine in a fast-food style.

When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Singapore in 2015, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong dined with him at Komala Vilas to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and India. The media described it as "Dosa Diplomacy".

An establishment with a rich history, Komala Vilas is one of the heritage sites of Little India, attracting both tourists and locals.



For more information
“Indian eatery serves fast food McDonald’s style,” The Straits Times, 28 August 1995, 3. (From Newspaper SG)
“Teck Kah,” New Nation, 17 May 1975, 7. (From Newspaper SG)
“About Us,” Komala Vilas. https://komalavilas.com.sg/about-us/
“Komala Vilas,” RootsSG. Accessed 1 August 2025. https://www.roots.gov.sg/places/places-landing/Places/landmarks/little-india-heritage-trail-shop-till-you-drop/Komala-Vilas

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The information in this article is valid as of August 2025 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. If you have any feedback on this article, please submit here.