India, April 27 -- Indian cheese winning the highest honour at a global competition wasn't on anyone's 2026 bingo card. But four Indian cheeses brought home top medals at Mundial do Queijo do Brasil 2026. And then, PM Narendra Modi acknowledged the win, marking India's arrival in the global cheese map! At the competition, Mumbai-based Eleftheria's Gulmarg (Brie-style cheese) won Super Gold, the highest accolade awarded to an Indian cheese so far. It pairs a soft rind with a creamy centre, offering a lactic tang, buttery warmth, and subtle earthiness. They also picked up a Gold for Brunost (a Norwegian-style cheese), which is made using caramelised whey and evokes the sweetness of peda. Silver was won for Kaali Miri, which is inspired by the Swiss Belper Knolle. It is creamy, pungent, and has a peppery bite. Alongside it, Yak Churpi-Soft from Ladakh's Nordic Farm, which is creamy, mildly tangy and shaped by yak milk, also secured a Gold. Traditionally, cheeses like Brie in France, Brunost in Norway, and Belper Knolle in Switzerland have been closely tied to their regions. In India, these styles are reinterpreted. Mausam Narang, founder, Eleftheria Mumbai, explains, "We're not trying to replicate global benchmarks but refining our own expression of cheesemaking." Taste and texture in Indian artisanal cheeses are shaped by the type of milk used. Cow milk produces a creamy profile with buttery notes, while goat's milk is sharper, acidic, and firmer in structure. Yak milk yields richer, denser cheeses with a deeper savoury intensity. Camel milk produces delicate cheeses with a saltiness and earthy finish. "India has been making cheese for 100 years now. The relationship with cheese has historically been rooted in fresh formats such as paneer and chenna rather than aged, mould-ripened, or experimental styles," says chef Manish Mehrotra. From a cheesemaker's perspective, Narang adds, "India's climate is a challenge. It requires constant calibration by adjusting ageing conditions and timelines." Working with Indian cheese requires a different approach. "The biggest difference lies in how Indian cheese responds to heat. You cook them more like a protein than a dairy garnish," explains chef Varun Inamdar, adding, "Indian cheeses respond well to bold, layered flavours because they are structurally built for it. Smoke, acid, spice, and fermentation don't overpower these cheeses. Pairing it with chilli oils, jaggery, and even kasundi feels natural." Mehrotra says, "Indian cheeses are region-specific. Kalari works well in sandwiches, while Indian camembert pairs with black pepper and can be baked as a snack. They also lend themselves to dishes like pizza." For years, imported cheese defined luxury on Indian menus. Celebrity chef Suvir Saran notes, "There's still a psychological bias towards imported cheeses, but when you present Indian cheese with conviction, diners are often surprised and proud."...