India, 29th July 2025 – India has officially marked its presence at the ASI Bootcamp Asia & Pacific for the very first time. Held in Singapore from July 1 to 4, 2025, the event brought together young sommeliers from all over Asia & Pacific for an intense and immersive training experience, and this year, five emerging professionals from India, representing the Sommeliers Association of India (SAI), were part of it.
This is a milestone moment. For a country where the wine scene is still evolving, the selection and participation of Indian sommeliers signals both rising domestic expertise and growing international recognition. In line with SAI’s vision to cultivate a new generation of sommeliers and elevate the standards of wine, beverage service, and education, the Sommeliers Association of India (SAI), the country’s first nonprofit sommelier organisation, proudly seized the opportunity to provide global exposure to a team of five sommeliers by sending them to the 2025 ASI Education Bootcamp for Asia & the Pacific.
“Watching our sommeliers represent India at the ASI Bootcamp for the first time was a proud and emotional moment. Through SAI, we have worked to create global pathways for Indian talent, and now we are seeing that vision take shape. This is not just a win for the individuals who went, it is a defining step forward for India’s presence at the global stage.” said Amrita Singh, Co-Founder & President, Sommeliers Association of India.
Organised by the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI), the Bootcamp is a high-impact, non-competitive training program for the next generation of sommeliers. Across three packed days, participants engaged in masterclasses, service workshops, wine list curation, and small-group tasting drills with some of the worlds top Master Sommeliers, Masters of Wine, and Best Sommeliers of the World. But beyond skills, the Bootcamp created a strong, supportive global community of like-minded professionals.
These were the five brilliant candidates, who represented Sommeliers Association of India at the 2025 ASI Education Bootcamp Asia & Pacific:
- Jai Singh, Winner 2025 SAI Best Sommelier of India | ASI Diploma Gold
- Pankaj Singh, 2nd Place, 2025 SAI Best Sommelier of India | ASI Diploma Bronze| Advanced Sommelier CMS
- Amber Deshmukh, 3rd Place, 2025 SAI Best Sommelier of India.
- Savio Cardoza, Semi-Finalist, 2025 SAI Best Sommelier of India.
- Karan Patyal, Quarter Finalist, 2025 SAI Best Sommelier of India.
For the team, the Bootcamp was not just a learning experience but a crucial step towards their journey to excellence. They returned with sharper skills, clearer vision, and connections that will shape their careers and advance the future of the Indian hospitality industry.
In their own words:
“ASI Bootcamp was a dream come true. Every moment was incredibly valuable, from learning how to curate impactful wine lists to building effective study plans.” – Jai
“A memorable experience learning from some of the world’s finest professionals including Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers & ASI World Champions. Blind tasting stood out as my personal highlight.” – Pankaj
“A truly eye-opening experience that brought clarity to the skills I need to develop and showed me a clear path forward in my sommelier journey.” – Amber
“An experience like no other in my career, from blind tastings that revealed the method of champions to being fully immersed in structured, high-level learning.” – Savio
“The bootcamp was packed with motivation and knowledge. It was an incredible opportunity to grow and connect with like-minded sommeliers from around the world.” – Karan
