Krishno Dey

Krishno spent his career in the United Nations and worked in several different UN agencies, including the UNDP AND UN Volunteers. He decided to take early retirement and come back to Shantiniketan so that he could engage in grassroot work. Krishno and his first wife – Chandana started the BHAB initiative that became the genesis of a 25-year-old gender and community development project in Shantiniketan known as ‘Srihaswani’.

Recently though Krishno had to step back from active duties due to health reasons Sukayna continues to nurture the Homestay and generously offer the hand of friendship taking responsibility to all who come to Mithali.

Sukayna Ray

Women Empowerment Roles, strengthen a Woman to take-up greater responsibilities in various ways. Experiences in decision-making and problem-solving, allowing to approach challenges with empathy and understanding. By embracing multiple roles, create a warm and inclusive environment at Mitali Homestay, where guests feel valued and supported.

These roles bring joy, fulfilment, and a sense of purpose. As the head of Mitali Homestay, empowering others through hospitality and community-building since power is driven by higher number of power women staff trained with love, affection teaching them to be self-sufficient-personally and financially.

Starting the boutique in 2004 and always very passionate about Hospitality & Cuisines later on when we started our homestay in 2006.

Motherhood: Nurturing and guiding my Children and my Staff, passing on values and life skills.

Daughter

Building a strong bond with my parents and in-laws, learning from their experiences, and maintaining family traditions. My husband’s grandfather was the personal doctor of Tagore. My father- in-law was the first person who started the Haringhata milk booth. My mother-in-law was a great artist, interior decorator and had a hobby of collecting different kinds of things in and around the world and displaying them around the house. Her personal collections of crockery were mesmerizing. Her culinary was so exotic and unique that l follow each one of them and continue the legacy of the Dey family.

Sisterhood

Supporting and caring for my siblings, sharing memories, and creating lifelong connections.

Wifedom

Partnering with my spouse, more than 30 years older than me, building a life together, and navigating life's challenges as a team. Supporting him in his work in UN and therefore toured the whole world. Due to his interest in different types of food preparation and cocktails, l learnt a lot from him and excelled in the most of them. Today stand happy and committed to ensure the Brand Mitali stands amongst the best in every aspect of service fulfilment.

Advisor of Organic farming: As an advisor on organic farming, focus on sustainable agricultural practices that promote soil health, biodiversity, and efficient water use. some expertise would cover areas like

• Soil management and fertility.

• Crop selection and rotation.

• Natural pest control and disease management.

• Composting and waste reduction.

• Certification processes for organic farming.

Role also involves guiding farmers transitioning to organic methods, improving yields, and maintaining environmental sustainability, making and selling different types of pickles, jam, jelly, soaps, shampoos, handwashes. The acre orchard and garden with variety of medicinal flowers and trees using organic ingredients like turmeric, ginger, spices etc.

Our Journey

Mitali Signifying Friendship has been the Dey Family home for fifty-five years, and has been transformed into a homestay for the last fifteen. Mitali was the first homestay in Shantiniketan. The Mitali homestay hosts are Krishno Dey and Sukanya Ray.

Krishno’s parents, Sushil and Indira bought four bighas of land called phooldanga, from the then zamindars of taltor village in 1964. Sushil has just retired from the United Nations as UN Under Secretary General and Indra studied sculpture. The family belonged to the Brahmo Samaj .

Sushil and Indira married in 1929. Sushil studied under Harold Laski at the London School of Economics and joined the Indian Civil Service (ICS) and Indira Studied at the JJ School of Art. Krishno was the youngest of the four siblings. His two older brothers Partha and Shantanu went into the Armed Services, Anuradha, an artist and restorer, lived in Italy.