While reading this news, I instantly recalled what Liqour Barron of India Dr. Vijay Malaya once said of the negativity associated with the alcohol:

He said:

“He pays enough taxes to Government to take care of all the negativity associated with drinking. The Government is always free to use that money to open schools and colleges.”

What he meant from the above statement was that, people like him and others will keep drinking and the liquor commerce will keep going as well; but in the end, it all depends on the person.

This is quite true. Countries, States and cities which are declared dry are the ones where flourishing liquor trade happens illegally. But the good thing is: Even in those “Dry Areas”, one can always find those people who remain sobre & responsible towards their lives, with or without alcohol.

Hence in the end it all depends on the individual.

The fact that noted poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, who interestingly never touched alcohol, but was intelligent enough to preach to the world “Life Enlightening Lessons imparted to him by Alcohol and Pubs (‘Madira’ and ‘Madhushala’), indicates that there’s more to alcohol than just plain negativity.

A rare 55 year Old Whisky proves once again what her connoisseurs can do for her Love:


On May 3, a rare 55-year-old bottle of Glenfiddich single malt whisky has been auctioned for a record 42,000 pounds (approx Rs35 lakh). The bottle was sold to the highest bidder, World Duty Free Group (WDFG). The minimum price for the bottle at the auction conducted here this week was 40,000 pounds.

The Money raised from the sale will go towards building a school for physically and mentally disadvantaged children in Uttarakhand. The beneficiary, who is already been handed over the money, is the Lotus Flower Trust, a charity organization which has been working on several projects in India for over 20 years, including in Rajasthan, Assam, Ladakh and Uttarakhand.

John Hunt, founder of the Lotus Flower Trust, overwhelmed by the generosity of the buyer, said:

"We at the Lotus Flower Trust are overwhelmed by the generosity that has been shown us. All we need to do now is raise the funds to build a home to match the school for these deprived but lovely little children".


Further adding: "It is such a pleasure to work in India. In the last three years we have completed eight projects. We only raise funds to construct school buildings and homes, not to run the schools or hire teachers".

Responding to the heartfelt thanks, Sarah Branquinho, business relations & external affairs director of WDFG, said:

"This has been a wonderful and generous effort by William Grant & Sons. The children in Ramnagar will be eternally grateful to the Global Travel Retail team for choosing to benefit the Lotus Flower Trust and this project".

About the Rare Whisky:


The rare single malt was named after Janet Sheed Roberts, the grand-daughter of William Grant, who founded the Glenfiddich distillery. She celebrated her 110th birthday in August 2011, but died on April 6 this year.

The rare whisky comes in a hand-blown glass bottle with a bottle stopper pressed with Roberts's initials, encased in a leather box inspired by her leather travelling truck, with a deer horn toggle and lined with silk.

Artist Alison Watt has created a limited edition signed print to accompany each bottle. Only 11 bottles of the Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve are released to the public, one to celebrate each decade of her life.

Each bottle is being auctioned for the benefit of various charity organizations, making the auction a non-profit making exercise.

Perceptions regarding Alcohol and drinking:


Humans have been dilly dallying with drinking for ages now. In every period, whether it is Indus valley period, Rigvedic period, India’s freedom struggle period or now, people never stopped drinking. Even during the Post-Emergency Morarji Desai Government, when he resigned on the question of complete ban on drinking; people kept on drinking.

In short, people of every age want some intoxication and no matter how much a Government tries, a blanket ban on alcohol is almost impossible.

What the Governments should do is allow people practice drinking in a more responsible manner.

Licensed Pubs, as one sees in foreign countries, are good instruments to ensure responsible drinking. What Pubs do is, they put some restriction on drinking anywhere, anytime, any moment. If the Government allows people to drink at specific locations, it’ll be easier for it to curb the miscreants who sit to drink anywhere, anytime, any moment.

The government policy of setting up “Country made liquor or Desi Sharab” outlets, for people with lower income groups is not helping as the outlets are being set up with least discretion. One can find such outlets at places where they are least wanted -- near schools, hospitals, residential colonies etc. Instead of setting up such outlets every where, if the governments gives the country liquor licenses to small restaurants , then the need to set up liquor shops will itself end.

Drinking is an issue with many facets. A person can become alcoholic even when he drinks at a pub, park or home. But research proves that when a person starts drinking alone; there are more chances of him/her becoming an alcoholic. When a person drinks with his friends in a pub, the phenomenon on social drinking comes into play, wherein those who want to practice drinking in a responsible manner chat a bit and leave the pub after two pegs.
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