WAGH Bakri Tea Group chairman Piyushbhai Desai, who combined businesswith Gandhian values, philanthropy and social responsibility, passed away on September 15, the tea group said in a statement. He was 86. Desai was associated with the tea trade for over six decades and played a significant role in taking Wagh Bakri beyond its Gujarat roots and expanding its presence across multiple States, the obituary note issued by Wagh Bakri Tea Group said. Desai was known for his expertise in tea and his approach to business based on quality, integrity, long-term relationships and collective growth, the group said. Former Gujarat Vidyapith vice chancellor Sudarshan Iyengar remembered him as an entrepreneur who reflected the ideals envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi, and was “entirely selfmade and a top-class tea taster himself”. Desai’s connection with Gandhi stemmed from his grandfather, who had met the Mahatma in South Africa, and because of this ancestral connection, helping people through the Gandhian idea of trusteeship and living a simple life were major priorities for Desai, Iyengar said. He also recalled Desai explaining the significance of the Wagh Bakri name. “Desai used to say that a place where a tiger and a goat could drink water together represented a non-violent society. The brand became famous, but behind it lies the story of a non-violent society, through which he was spreading Gandhi’s message,” Iyengar said. Desai was deeply associated with Gujarat Vidyapith and contributed to initiatives connected with Gandhian thought, according to the obituary note.

 

Iyengar said Desai was a founding director of Anuvad Foundation, established as a Section 8 company along with Narayan Desai, who was then Chancellor of Gujarat Vidyapith. Iyengar was also a director of the foundation, whose two objectives were to translate Gandhiji’s remaining works and Mahadevbhai Desai’s diary as well as directly translating good literature and knowledgeenhancing material from one Indian language to another without using English or Hindi as intermediaries. Desai was also one of the few critical voices from the corporate world during the 2002 postGodhra riots in Gujarat. Iyengar said Desai participated in a peace rally organised from Kochrab Ashram to Gandhi Ashram by Chuni Kaka and others and was “completely vocal against violence”. Desai said violence was a failure of the entire society, Iyengar recollected. “When a major mistake occurred in society -- as it was a mistake by the entire society, not just a political one -- he told society, ‘Sorry, I am not with you. I want to establish peace,’ and he marched for it,” Iyengar recalled. Desai’s temperament was to speak the truth and he would point out mistakes by the government but in a non-violent manner, he said. Desai served as president from 2016 to 2020 of Blind People’s Association (BPA), its general secretary Bhushan Punani said. He was a great human being and a philanthropist and In 1982, he and his company made a donation of Rs 1.5 lakh to the organisation, Punani said. Desai had gone to Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad to make a donation, but, finding nobody available there, he decided to visit BPA, situated just opposite the premier business school, he added.