Cheetal Grand, a nostalgic stopover for many heading to Uttarakhand hills, bids farewell to its owner

Rana had been battling a heart condition for the past 28 years and was also diagnosed with cancer two years ago. Speaking to The Indian Express, his son Ali Rana, who is now going to take the business forward, said, “We are truly distressed with him passing away; he was battling multiple health issues, but he never gave up.”

Rana breathed his last at 8.15 pm after suffering from multiple organ failure, Sunday night, at the Escorts Hospital in Delhi. He was buried in the cemetery of his native village Phulat Sharif at 10.30 am on Monday. When Rana passed, for many, the void felt collective, and thousands reached out to bid him farewell.

“People showed up from all walks — politicians, social workers, labourers, officers. That says enough about his legacy, he had always believed in giving back to the community and in helping people,” said a close family relative, who didn’t want his name to be disclosed. In Khatauli, Rana was widely known for his social work, almost always without publicity.

Cheetal’s story had begun on the banks of the old canal in Khatauli in 1972, when Rana’s father, who had come from a catering and hospitality background, had opened the place. The family had deep ties to the Forest Department, Rana had in fact grown up at the Jim Corbett National Park. Cheetal was initially established on government-leased land nestled in a green surrounding next to the old Ganga canal, which had a deer park in its proximity and was surrounded by lush-green forests. Due to their love for wildlife, they decided to name it after the spotted deer, or the cheetal that used to graze nearby.

Shariq, along with his elder brother, helped their father run the place and would sell cheese omelettes, heart-shaped cutlets, and crispy samosas that soon earned a following. But it was the experience that stuck: a slice of forest on the highway, a place where time paused.

When the lease on the forest property ended after 18 years, the original Cheetal shifted to a smaller place— but Shariq didn’t let the legacy dissolve. He led the family’s effort to relocate and rebuild. A new Cheetal rose a short distance away.

After the national highway was built, came Cheetal Grand, another new restaurant that carried echoes of the old — a triangular roof with lush green plants decorated at its entrance, a red sign with bold yellow letters the same taste, neat dining areas— a bigger menu but the same taste, and Rana, always at the front, overlooking the orders being prepared and greeting familiar guests personally.

The Beatles, the Dalai Lama among visitors

Even celebrities found their way there — The Beatles, on their way to Rishikesh, the Dalai Lama during a visit, Saif Ali Khan, Irrfan Khan, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, to name a few.

Mahesh Kuriyal, a resident of Dehradun, said, “About 22 years ago, while driving to Delhi, I had severe vertigo about 15-20 km before Cheetal Grand and could not drive. My wife somehow drove to Cheetal, and I just lay down on a bench in the garden. Mr Shariq came and opened a nice air-conditioned room for me. After having a nice nap for four to five hours, I decided to proceed. He didn’t charge a single penny from me. Definitely a very humble man and great host.”

“Twenty five years ago, when I used to travel often to Muzaffarnagar and Saharanpur, it was a must stop for every trip, it had become popular due to its paratha and cheese omelettes, there weren’t many places that used to serve food on the route back then, so Cheetal used to be a luxury experience for us…back then my kids were small, so they used to ask when we are going to reach Cheetal after every five minutes,” said Ajay Pal Singh.

“For us, Cheetal is nostalgia. It wasn’t just about food; all visits to Cheetal were memories. Back then, there weren’t many places where we could dine, so we used to visit Cheetal,” said Anjum, a regular visitor who is a resident of Muzaffarnagar.