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Tarla Dalal Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 16, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth3 June 1936

Age85 Years (as of 2021)

BirthplacePune, Maharashtra

ProfessionFood Writer; Chef; Cooking shows host

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseNalin Dalal

FamilyChildren: Sanjay Dalal; Deepak Dalal; Renu Dalal

Tarla Dalal Biography

Tarla Dalal was a pioneering Indian food writer, chef and television host who popularized vegetarian cooking across India and beyond. A bestselling author,

Early life and background

Tarla Dalal was born on 3 June 1936 in Pune, Maharashtra. Raised in a Vaishnav family, she was the eldest daughter and developed an interest in cooking from a young age, helping her mother in the kitchen from about age 12. She completed a Bachelor of Arts in Economics in 1956. In 1960 she married Nalin Dalal and moved to Bombay (now Mumbai).

Career

Tarla Dalal began teaching cooking informally in 1966 when friends encouraged her to share recipes with young women. What started as home classes for six students quickly grew in popularity across Mumbai, and many mothers enrolled their daughters to learn from her. Encouraged by the response, she began writing down her recipes, with her husband assisting as an editor.

Her first book, Pleasures of Vegetarian Cooking, was published in 1974 and became a major commercial success, selling more than 1.5 million copies. Over the years she authored numerous other cookbooks, including titles focused on low-calorie snacks, acidity-friendly dishes and popular restaurant-style gravies. Her books were translated into several languages, among them Dutch, Russian, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi and Bengali.

Dalal also built a business presence beyond print. In 1987 she acquired office space and started a company with her daughter. By 1988 she had launched a website bearing her name, which grew into one of the largest Indian food websites. In 2002 she introduced a line of ready-to-cook food mixes under her brand.

Television and digital media

Tarla Dalal hosted the cookery show Cook It Up With Tarla Dalal on Sony TV, which aired across South-East Asia, India, the Gulf, the UK and the US. Later in life she embraced digital media: prompted by a request from a fan, she began producing video versions of her classes and ultimately published hundreds of cooking videos on her YouTube channel. She and her team maintained an active presence on social platforms including Facebook and Instagram.

Approach and influence

A committed vegetarian, Dalal became known for adapting non-vegetarian recipes into vegetarian versions and introducing Indian audiences to international cuisines such as Mexican, Chinese and Italian food using accessible ingredients. She emphasized making cooking simple, healthy and practical for home cooks. Her work included a magazine called Cooking and More and she often used her public profile to raise funds for health causes like cancer and asthma.

Public profile

Tarla Dalal received notable recognition for her contributions to food and cooking. She was named Women of the Year by the Indian Merchants' Chamber in 2005 and in 2007 became the only Indian woman to be awarded the Padma Shri specifically for cooking.

Family and legacy

Tarla and Nalin Dalal had three children: sons Sanjay and Deepak, and a daughter, Renu. Sanjay joined the family enterprise after earning his MBA in 1987 and took on responsibilities including managing the website, publications and social media. Dalal’s granddaughter now helps manage the social accounts and shares new recipes and content that continue to introduce her grandmother’s work to new audiences.

Death

Tarla Dalal passed away on 6 November 2013 at her residence in South Bombay. At the time of her death she remained actively involved with cooking and public engagements, and her family and colleagues have continued to maintain and promote her recipes, videos and brand.

Latest updates

Dalal’s digital platforms remain active, with her YouTube channel hosting hundreds of videos and her family overseeing ongoing publication of recipes and virtual classes. Her legacy endures through translated cookbooks, archived television programs and the online presence that keeps her approach to vegetarian cooking accessible to home cooks worldwide.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Tarla Dalal, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Cook It Up With Tarla Dalal

Television cookery show broadcast on Sony TV across multiple regions

Pleasures of Vegetarian Cooking

First and bestselling cookbook that popularized vegetarian recipes in India

1974
Tarla Dalal website and YouTube channel

A large Indian food website and a channel with more than 400 cooking videos

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Career Highlights

  1. Published Pleasures of Vegetarian Cooking (1974), which sold over 1.5 million copies
  2. Built one of the largest Indian food websites and a prolific YouTube presence
  3. Awarded Padma Shri in 2007 for cooking
  4. Named Women of the Year by Indian Merchants' Chamber in 2005
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Tarla Dalal born?

Tarla Dalal was born on 3 June 1936.

What is Tarla Dalal known for?

Tarla Dalal is known for food Writer; Chef; Cooking shows host.

What is Tarla Dalal’s marital status?

Tarla Dalal's marital status is listed as Married.

Who is Tarla Dalal married to?

Tarla Dalal is publicly listed as married to Nalin Dalal.