AN Indian restaurant on Colchester High Street is set to mark its 20 year in the city by raising money for Colchester's neonatal unit.

Maharani has been open since 2004 and serves up mainstream Indian cuisine and featured tastes of Northeast India, recipes from India’s massive coastline, and closely guarded Indian family recipes.

At an event this month the Maharani is offering set meals where all proceeds will go to the Colchester Neonatal Care Unit Charity fund, alongside 50 per cent of takeaway bill proceeds.

Habibur Mojumder, the restaurant’s owner, said: “It’s a big milestone for us. To sustain a small business for 20 years, we believe we have gained the trust of our local community and built very good relationships over the past years with the local communities of Colchester.

“As a business we need to support local communities and local charities. That’s something we are very proud of.”

Cuisine- The Maharani's menu features mainstream, Northeast, and secret family Indian dishes. Cuisine- The Maharani's menu features mainstream, Northeast, and secret family Indian dishes.

Habib decided to raise funds for the Neonatal Care Unit after his son was transferred there for a month and a half after he was born.

“We were very glad and very pleased how they helped us over that time,” he said.

“We promised that we would do what we can to help with their funds to extend the unit.

“They are doing everything out there. They are sacrificing their lives and their time with their families to help grow and cure other people.

“In that one-and-a-half months, we saw how they work, so it’s about the little things we can do for them."  

Team- The staff on the day of the event have decided to donate half their day's wages to the Neonatal Care Unit Charity Fund.Team- The staff on the day of the event have decided to donate half their day's wages to the Neonatal Care Unit Charity Fund. (Image: Habib Mojumder).

Year round, the Maharani offers discounts and free deliveries to all Colchester Hospital staff.

For the event, the Maharani’s staff have chosen to donate half their day’s wages to the charity.

There will also be a £100 raffle draw from the dining customers for the event, and the restaurant will prepare 100 boxes of takeaway food to give people when they run out of dining space.

Habib plans to do other fundraising events at each quarter of the year for other local Colchester charities, which can be chosen by their customers.

Their 20th anniversary celebrations will take place on Sunday, June 30.