Pune’s Ishaara Turns Inclusion Into Art With ‘Higher Purpose’ Wall on International Day of Sign Languages
Reported by Radhika Sharma
Viman Nagar, 25th September 2026: On 23rd September 2026, Ishaara’s Viman Nagar outlet in Pune turned a corner of its dining room into a living tribute to the people who make its inclusive hospitality possible, launching the “Higher Purpose” wall to mark the International Day of Sign Languages. The installation transforms the restaurant’s story into an immersive experience for guests, bringing together photographs, personal narratives and moments from within the Ishaara family to spotlight team members across front-of-house, kitchen and leadership roles. Simple sign-language cues on the menu invite diners to communicate directly with the team, while attentive, gesture-based service makes connection part of the meal itself.
“‘Higher Purpose’ is about the people who bring Ishaara to life every day,” said Prashant Issar, Founder of Ishaara and Managing Director of Bellona Hospitality. “Inclusion cannot live only in a statement of intent. It has to be felt in the opportunities we create for our team and in the warmth our guests experience at the table. This wall gives those stories a place to be seen and shared.” The concept began as a university project by students of MIT Institute of Design (MITID), who set out to explore how Ishaara’s purpose could be expressed physically within the restaurant, and over months of collaboration evolved from a classroom presentation into a permanent, guest-facing installation at the Phoenix Avenue of Stars outlet in Viman Nagar.
The students who first imagined the wall: Vriti Sharma, Roshni Kataria, Ananya Krishna and Priyal Chaturvedi, all from MITID, worked closely with the Ishaara team to translate their research and design thinking into a space that feels both personal and public. “We first came to Ishaara as customers, what drew us in further was the concept and the cause,” says Vriti Sharma. “We actually also designed an NFC card that one can just tap and view the story and conceptually understand Ishaara and its people,” says Roshni Kataria. “The girls approached us, and this started off as a university project, but over months of materialising this, the ‘Higher Purpose’ wall has really come through,” says Aditya from the Ishaara team.
Ishaara was founded in 2019 by Prashant Issar as a purpose-driven, fine-dining restaurant led by Speech and Hearing Impaired (SHI) professionals in mainstream, customer-facing roles, and today operates nine outlets across Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Bengaluru with an ingredient-forward, modern interpretation of traditional Indian cuisine.
The “Higher Purpose” wall deepens that mission by making inclusion visible, not just operational, inviting guests to slow down, notice the people behind the service, and understand the intent behind every gesture.
The wall was unveiled from 7 pm onwards on 23rd September 2026 at Ishaara, Phoenix Avenue of Stars, Viman Nagar, with the Ishaara team joined by the MITID students, influencers and members of the media to celebrate the people and stories that brought it to life.
