Mumbai, 09th October 2026: Since its establishment in 2024, the Sommeliers Association of India (SAI) has been building a structured pathway for Indian sommeliers to progress from national recognition to international education, professional development and competition.
The journey began in February 2024, when SAI Co-Founder and President Amrita Singh presented the Association’s vision at the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI) 55th Anniversary and General Assembly in Monaco. India was subsequently voted into ASI’s College of Applicants, marking a significant step towards connecting Indian wine professionals with the global sommelier community and advancing international standards in education, service, and competition.
SAI launched its membership programme in October 2024 and has since grown to more than 200 members, including 130 sommeliers. Through its expanding network, SAI continues to identify and nurture talent, elevate professional standards, and create pathways for Indian sommeliers to engage with the international wine community.
The journey reached another landmark in May 2026, when India secured full membership of ASI at the General Assembly in Taiwan, formally establishing India’s place within the global sommelier fraternity and opening a new chapter for Indian sommellerie.
Identifying Indian talent
A major milestone followed in January 2025 with the inaugural SAI Best Sommelier of India competition, hosted at The LaLiT Mumbai. The three-day competition brought together 14 Indian candidates from across the world, testing their expertise across theory, blind tasting, and practical service through a rigorous progression of quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final.
Jai Singh emerged as the inaugural Best Sommelier of India, becoming SAI’s first national champion and setting a new benchmark for excellence in Indian sommellerie.
For SAI, however, the competition was about more than crowning a winner. It marked the beginning of a structured journey to identify and develop India’s emerging sommelier talent through education, mentorship, professional training, and international exposure, laying the foundation for a new generation of Indian sommeliers to compete on the global stage.
From competition to international training
In July 2025, five Indian sommeliers through SAI attended the ASI Education Bootcamp Asia & Pacific in Singapore, marking India’s first participation in the ASI regional training programme.
The five participants, Jai Singh, Pankaj Singh, Amber Deshmukh, Savio Cardoza, and Karan Patyal, took part in blind tasting, service workshops, wine-list curation, and small-group masterclasses, while gaining exposure to international wine professionals and peers from across the global sommelier community.
Education has been central to SAI’s approach. The association has introduced ASI Prep, Certification Level 1, Certification Level 2 and the ASI Diploma Exams in India, giving professionals access to internationally recognised learning and certification.
Jai Singh’s journey shows the pathway in action
Jai Singh’s progression is the clearest example of how this model can work. After winning the inaugural Best Sommelier of India title, Singh represented India at the ASI Contest Best Sommelier of Asia & Pacific 2025 in Malaysia, gaining first-hand experience of the standards, time pressure and intensity of international competition.
He is now preparing to represent India at the ASI Contest Best Sommelier of the World 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal, from 11 to 17 October.
Singh will become the first sommelier to represent India at the World Contest, progressing from the national stage in Mumbai to one of the profession’s most significant international platforms.
For SAI, his journey reflects the pathway the association set out to build: identifying and nurturing talent, developing sommeliers through education, training and mentorship, and creating opportunities for professional growth and recognition both within India and on the international stage.
Amrita Singh, Co-Founder and President of SAI, said: “Jai representing India at the ASI Contest Best Sommelier of the World 2026 marks a defining moment for Indian sommellerie and a powerful affirmation of the vision behind SAI. We set out to create meaningful access to international education, standards, mentorship, and opportunities for Indian sommeliers, and Jai’s journey demonstrates what that pathway can make possible. I hope his participation inspires a new generation of Indian sommeliers to see the global stage not as something distant, but as a space they can aspire to and earn their place in. Lisbon is not the destination for Indian sommellerie—it is the beginning of a much larger journey.”
Developing talent beyond competition
Singh’s preparation for Lisbon reflects SAI’s commitment to development that extends well beyond competition results. His training has encompassed independent study, regular tasting, theory revision, and intensive service practice, building on the experience gained through the SAI Best Sommelier of India and the ASI Contest Best Sommelier of Asia & Pacific.
His preparation has also been guided by Mattia Antonio Cianca, Co-Founder and Vice President of SAI and his official mentor. Cianca, who represented Italy at the ASI Contest Best Sommelier of the World in 2023, worked closely with Singh in Italy earlier this year, with a particular focus on refining his service and tasting skills.
Together, this preparation reflects SAI’s broader approach: using competition as a platform for sustained professional development and equipping Indian sommeliers with the knowledge, discipline, and international experience required to compete at the highest level.
Mattia Antonio Cianca, Co-Founder and Vice President of SAI, said: “Having competed at the ASI Contest Best Sommelier of the World myself, I understand the preparation, discipline, and pressure that this stage demands. One of the ambitions behind founding SAI was to create a genuine pathway for Indian sommeliers to access international education, mentorship, and competition, and Jai’s participation represents the clearest expression of that vision so far. I hope his journey gives more Indian sommeliers the confidence to aim higher. This is not an isolated moment; Jai’s participation marks an important new chapter in the history and evolution of Indian sommellerie.”
Building beyond one candidate
While Singh is currently the most visible example of SAI’s work, the Association’s larger ambition is to make this journey accessible to a growing number of Indian sommeliers. Through competition, education, certification, training, and mentorship, SAI is building a stronger and more sustainable pathway from national talent to international opportunity.
Jai Singh said: “Representing India at the ASI Contest Best Sommelier of the World is already a form of success for me. The message is simple: ‘Hello, we are here too.’ I hope my journey encourages more Indian sommeliers to compete internationally and become part of the global community. If my participation helps inspire that future, I will consider it a success.
For SAI, the next chapter is about turning a first appearance into a lasting presence, ensuring that India’s debut on the international sommelier stage is followed by many more Indian sommeliers competing, learning, and representing the country at the highest level.
