Beyond the Buzz

This panel discussion examines India’s relationship with alcohol, from its colonial history to the current state of the industry, and how deeply its marketing is rooted in that history. Panelists will trace how colonial rule promoted distillery-based alcohol production to extract revenue for the empire, and how those same patterns continue to shape how alcohol is sold and consumed today. What does a drink marketed as celebration, sophistication, even heart health, carry behind the glamour?

Though direct advertising is banned in India, the liquor industry remains worth an estimated…