What was meant to be a quiet dinner turned into a public debate on class, etiquette, and privilege after YourStory founder and CEO Shradha Sharma alleged she was “humiliated” at the Taj Mahal Hotel’s House of Ming restaurant in Delhi. Sharma shared her experience in a video on X (formerly Twitter), saying a hotel manager asked her to change her sitting posture because another guest had complained.
“I’m extremely angry right now. My sister came to visit, so we decided to do something special for Diwali and came here for dinner. But the restaurant manager came and said that a guest had a problem with the way I was sitting,” she said in the clip, explaining that she was simply sitting cross-legged on the chair.
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“I Work Hard for This Meal, What’s the Issue?”
Sharma, wearing a salwar-kurta and Kolhapuri slippers, said she found the incident “deeply disheartening,” especially coming from an establishment she had long admired.
“I get it’s a fine-dining restaurant, so maybe they expect people to sit in a certain way and wear closed shoes. But I don’t understand what that means. I came here with my own hard-earned money, dressed decently, behaving properly. Why should I be told to ‘put my feet down’?” she said.
Her video struck a chord online, raising questions about elitism in fine dining spaces and the definition of “appropriate behaviour.” Sharma said she felt “humiliated” and “heartbroken,” adding, “If someone has a problem with how I sit, that shows how we are still trapped in divisions of class and culture.”
“Even Ratan Tata Invested in My Company”
Sharma, whose startup YourStory is one of India’s leading digital media platforms, noted that the incident felt even more disappointing because Ratan Tata—whose conglomerate owns the Taj group—had once invested in her company.
“I’ve always respected the Taj. I’m sitting properly, wearing decent clothes. So why make it such a big issue? From a place like the Taj, this was truly disappointing,” she said.
Social Media Divided Over the Incident
The video has since gone viral, sparking a heated online debate. Many users supported Sharma, calling it “a failure in hospitality and sensitivity.” One wrote, “No one should ever face such humiliation in a place that prides itself on service excellence.”
Others, however, defended the Taj, citing hygiene and decorum. “Fine dining has its own etiquette,” one user commented. “The seat where you put your feet will be used by another guest. This isn’t your living room.”
Several users questioned whether colonial-era notions of “elegance” still govern Indian hospitality. “Are we still tied to British standards of behaviour?” one commenter asked.
What Experts Say: The Legal and Cultural Angle
Hospitality experts note that while restaurants are private spaces with the right to enforce dress and conduct codes, these rules must not cross into discrimination. Under India’s Consumer Protection Act, businesses may set “reasonable standards” of behaviour or hygiene but are also expected to ensure fairness and respect for customers.
A senior hospitality consultant said, “This incident underscores the need for staff training to handle cultural sensitivity. Etiquette shouldn’t come at the cost of dignity.”
