AHMEDABAD: Wagh Bakri Tea Group chairman Piyushbhai Desai, who combined business with Gandhian values, philanthropy and social responsibility, passed away on September 15, the tea group said in a statement on Sunday. 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 self-made 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 knowledge-enhancing 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 post-Godhra 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.
After visiting BPA, Desai and his company made the donation, which was a large amount at the time, and the support continued over the years, Punani said.
After an earthquake, Desai donated Rs 15 lakh for relief work in Bhuj and Kutch areas, and later motivated Wagh Bakri to provide an endowment of Rs 1 crore to promote eye surgeries, Punani said.
His efforts led the company to support BPA through a solar plant, tea stall kits, smart glasses and other employment kits for persons with disabilities, Punani said.
Desai's support for disability-related work was also linked to his personal experience, as his daughter Jagruti has an orthopaedic disability and uses a wheelchair, he added.
"Once you have a daughter who is in a wheelchair, you see disability every day, which creates a stronger attachment to people with disabilities," said Punani, currently an associate non-executive director of Wagh Bakri Tea Company.
The Wagh Bakri obituary note said Desai was a trustee of Sadvichar Parivar. The group said he lived by the principle of 'giving back to society', a value rooted in the Desai family's ethos and passed down through generations.
The note said his contribution to the tea industry extended beyond Wagh Bakri.
"He was a founding member of Gujarat Tea Traders Association, Western India Tea Dealers Association and Federation of All India Tea Traders Associations, and served as the first president of Gujarat Tea Traders Association," the note said.
The Northeastern Tea Association honoured Desai with a Lifetime Achievement Award earlier this year, the group said.
Desai remained closely associated with Wagh Bakri's affairs until 2020 and played the role of a mentor to the next generation, passing on the values that had guided him, as per the obituary note.
Punani recalled that Desai continued to explore new interests even after turning 70.
"Even when he was 70 plus, he started learning music and going for Yoga. For him, age was not a barrier," Punani said.
Desai's legacy would endure through the business he helped shape, the institutions he supported and values of quality, integrity and collective growth he championed, the group said.