The tombstone of a trailblazing Anglo-Indian figure, reputed to have brought curry and shampoo to the UK, has undergone restoration.

Sake Deen Mahomed is also credited with being the first Indian to author a book in English.

Residing in Brighton for forty years on Grand Parade, Mr. Mahomed passed away in 1851 and was interred in St Nicholas’ Churchyard.

The Regency Society of Brighton and Hove (RSBH) noted that his grave had become overgrown and dilapidated.

However, the organization has now refurbished the headstone, restored the kerbs and footstone, and cleared the vicinity to honor the city’s “rich and diverse heritage.”

“Sake Deen Mahomed stands out as one of the most fascinating and enterprising individuals to have lived in Brighton,” stated Frances Lindsay-Hills, a member of the RSBH committee.

“Maintaining his grave properly is an appropriate tribute to his life and achievements.”

Born in 1759 in Patna, a city in northeastern India, he established the first Indian restaurant in Britain, the Hindoostane Coffee House, in London in 1810.

According to the RSBH, Mr. Mahomed’s contributions to Brighton were “particularly noteworthy.”

In 1814, he opened indoor baths in Pool Valley along the seafront, where he introduced the therapeutic Indian massage technique known as champi, which he called “shampooing.”

His business flourished and drew in affluent patrons.

He was designated the title of “shampooing surgeon” for both King George IV and King William IV.

James Tulley, Vice Chair of the Regency Society, remarked that the restoration of Mahomed’s grave “ensures that his narrative remains alive and his legacy is preserved for future generations.”