Dechen Dolkar

From humble beginnings to international acclaim, three entrepreneurs—Max Vadukul, Swantosh Shah, and Shin Takagi—have carved their paths to success, overcoming the many challenges along the way.

They shared their inspiring journeys on the second day of the Bhutan Innovation Forum, held at Dungkar Dzong, Paro.

Max Vadukul, a photographer originally from Kenya, relocated to the United Kingdom with his family in search of a better life. They lived in a cramped one-room space. He left school at 16 without passing any exams. Despite these hardships, he remained dedicated to his passion for photography.

“I used to earn just £30 a month,” Vadukul recalled. To support himself, he spent two years delivering pizza. “Later, I moved to New York to focus on street photography, particularly black-and-white images.” Returning to the UK as a celebrated photographer, Vadukul went on to collaborate with prestigious companies, a stark contrast to his earlier financial struggles.

Santosh Shah, a master chef and social entrepreneur from Nepal, has a similar story of perseverance. He grew up in a poor family that struggled to afford food. At 14, Shah left Nepal in search of work in India.

“I worked as a dishwasher in a hotel and quickly developed a passion for cooking,” he said. Shah earned INR 900 a month, enough to support his family for six months. Over the years, he steadily built a successful career as a chef. Today, he owns four restaurants in Nepal, providing employment opportunities for single mothers and offering full scholarships to their children.

He is also planning to open a new restaurant in Doha. Once employed by others, Shah now oversees around 200 employees.

In Japan, Shin Takagi, owner-chef of Zeniya, has transformed his family’s restaurant into an international venture. After finishing college, Takagi pursued a career as a chef, but he observed that not many young people in Japan are interested in working in kitchens.

To tackle this challenge, Takagi expanded his efforts internationally, travelling abroad 25 to 27 times a year to promote Japanese cuisine. “I use local ingredients in foreign countries and train foreigners in authentic Japanese cooking,” he said. Takagi has also opened a restaurant in Singapore.