Parag A. Shastry is a storyteller, spirits strategist, and innovation leader with a deep interest in mixology and India s diverse drinking cultures. Over the past decade, he has become a prominent voice in the country s craft liquor movement, known for exploring alcohol not just as a beverage, but as a cultural marker shaped by memory, ritual, and community.
As General Manager Innovation and Marketing at Diageo India, Parag helped create new-to-theworld spirits and brands inspired by India s sensory and cultural landscape. His work sits at the intersection of heritage and modern consumer behaviour, giving him a nuanced understanding of how India s drinking identity is evolving across bars, homes, and emerging craft ecosystems.
His connection to this subject is deeply personal. Having grown up across small-town India from the Nimad, Chambal, and Malwa regions of Madhya Pradesh to the tribal districts of Gujarat, Vidarbha in Maharashtra, and the North Bengal tri-border area Parag witnessed firsthand the local brews, indigenous rituals, and community drinking customs that quietly shape India s relationship with alcohol. These experiences shaped his belief that a drink is never only about what is poured into a glass, but also the stories, traditions, and meanings that surround it.
In Madira: India s Forgotten Spirits and Cocktail Revival, he brings together