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Sonal Holland Indian Master of Wine & Founder, Sonal Holland Wine Academy, SoHo Wine Consultants & Vine2Wine Pvt Ltd. I n the last two years, at home wine consumption has boomed. Sonal Holland, the country’s first Master of Wine has spent her time educating the curious via Instagram Lives, her YouTube channel and her many online courses. No wonder she quips, “I am trying to become a 5 to 9 person. Wake up at 5 am and stop looking at my phone after 9 pm,” when asked if she keeps office hours. She mentions being excited about the move to digitization saying, “The wine education, events and retail e-commerce — all adapt well to digital transformations and I am excited by the enormous opportunities it presents.” Already she runs courses for industry professionals, laypeople and even one helping to study for the WSET. How does she kick back then? She says matter of factly, “ ... with something delicious, mostly wine.” “Never stop learning – no learning ever goes to waste and knowledge will find a way to help you succeed throughout your journey.” Thrivikaram Nikam Joint Managing Director, Amrut Distilleries A t Amrut, Thrivikaram G Nikam recently presided over the release of Amrut Spectrum, a first-of- its-kind single malt aged in a custom-made barrel, that fuses new American Oak casks with lightly- toasted Limousin Oak, ex-Oloroso sherry staves and even ex-PX sherry staves. This marks a year in which Amrut has also started procuring whisky from other distilleries and refining them before bottling them under the Neidhal brand. Nikam says, “As they say, change is the only permanent thing that exists. Just the difference is earlier we were able to feel and predict the changes but now it has become very uncertain.” Nikam should know, he’s worked in industries as varied as IT Services, Sports Nutrition and Construction before coming to Spirits. He’s also forged a path for Amrut in new markets, establishing it in North East India, thereby expanding the reach of one of the country’s oldest spirits companies. “Though 9-5 sounds very appropriate, it is difficult to practice, invariably gets stretched and that is how it is, sometimes I enjoy and at times it is quite hard on me.” 92 | | 93