India

Vinay Tongaria

Vinay Tongaria says: “When I first tasted wine, I felt more than flavour—I felt possibility.” Encouraged by his late father back in Dheli, Vinay embarked on his journey into the wine industry through taking any online courses, free certifications, mentorship calls, public tastings and unpaid internships he could get his hands on. Upon the sudden death of his father, Vinay became the sole breadwinner in his family overnight and had to double down on his job – mentoring hospitality students through Tata STRIVE. With a degree in hotel management nutrition and catering technology, Vinay has worked in the food and beverage sector since 2018. He is passionate about inclusion and accessibility in the wine industry and is hoping to set up local tasting clubs in under-resourced areas, as well as offer translated wine material in Hindi and regional languages.