Parag Desai : Parag Desai, director of Gujarat-based Gujarat Tea Processors and Packers Limited, best known for its Wagh Bakri tea brand, died late on Sunday at a private hospital in Ahmedabad. Desai, 49, was hospitalized after he was injured in a freak accident near his residence. He is survived by his wife Vidisha and daughter Parisha.
Sources close to the family claim that Desai met with a freak accident on the morning of October 15 during a morning walk near Isco Ambli Road. According to sources, he suffered a severe head injury after the fall. “He was initially brought to a private hospital in Ahmedabad’s Prahladnagar neighborhood. After nearly twenty-four hours, as things started to go worse, he was sent to another private hospital on Hebatpur Road. The operation was carried out immediately,” the source explained. Development Sources confirmed that after being on a ventilator for seven days, Desai died late on Sunday due to multiple health issues.
Parag Desai received his master’s degree from Long Island University, New York, USA, and was a fourth-generation entrepreneur in a high-end tea conglomerate. Apart from heading the group’s sales, marketing and export departments and taking the brand to new heights, Desai was also an avid tea taster and reviewer. He was interested in tourism and wildlife and devoted a lot of time to sustainability projects.
Parag Desai joined the company in 1995 when the company had less than Rs 100 million in assets. Today, Wagh Bakri Tea Group owns and operates one of India’s leading packaged tea companies with a turnover of over Rs 2,000 crore and tea distribution of over 50 million kilograms. The company has a presence in 24 Indian states and exports to around 60 countries. Parag Desai is behind the strategic transformation of Wagh Bakri Tea Group. Wagh Bakri Tea Group opened a tea house and strengthened its e-commerce, social media and digital media. He remained active in several industry platforms, including the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
