Rokeya Begum

Rokeya Chowdhury is a Boston-based entrepreneur, restaurateur, and community builder with more than 20 years of experience creating inclusive, culture-driven businesses. A 2022 Boston Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree, she is the co-founder of Shanti Restaurant, an award-winning Indian restaurant established in 1999, built on a mission to share the love and knowledge of Indian food and culture through comfort food. Committed to equity, access, and local economic development, Rokeya co-founded Dudley Café in Roxbury and Rooted In, a community-focused cannabis boutique — spaces intentionally designed to uplift communities and create belonging. As founder of Holi Mela, Boston's largest Festival of Colors, she has built pipelines of cultural connection that celebrate South Asian heritage and open doors for the next generation. Rokeya's influence continues to shape a more vibrant, equitable, and inclusive Boston.