The Happy H​igh: Raising the Bar for India’s Beverage Culture Since 2014
Founded in 2014, The Happy High is a Mumbai-based beverage consulting and education company on a mission to elevate India’s drinks experience. We have also over the years has turned into one of India’s most influential wine & spirit content platforms through its wine & spirit publication pages and social media channels, reaching thousands of beverage professionals and premium consumers every month

Our core strength lies in bar consultancty and wine, sake and spirit education which drives the work we do across sectors—collaborating with:

• Leading hotels and restaurants
• Beverage brands and international trade boards
• Luxury corporate houses and experiential marketers

We also run Mumbai’s most premium bartending institute, with a 100% placement record.
Our alumni are now setting benchmarks behind the bar at India’s top hospitality venues, contributing to the rise of a more skilled and sophisticated beverage industry. Whether it’s training the next generation of bartenders or building beverage strategies for global brands--we’re here to raise the glass, and the standard.

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Ajit Balgi
Founder

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Ajit Balgi
​Founder, The Happy High | Wine, Sake & Spirit Educator | Sommelier | Mixologist
Ajit Balgi is one of India’s foremost wine and spirit educators. A seasoned mixologist and certified sommelier, Ajit brings over a decade of international experience, having worked across Mumbai and London in the dynamic world of wines and spirits.
He holds advanced qualifications from the prestigious Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), London, and has trained over 5,000 professionals and enthusiasts over the past 10 years. Ajit is India’s only active BNIC Cognac Educator—one of just 90 recognized globally—and a Certified Wine Educator, adding to his credibility as a top-tier trainer and consultant. To add, He is also certified by the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association and also a WSET level 3 in Sake.
Ajit’s expertise has earned him international recognition:

• The only Indian participant at ESPAI Priorat 2017 in Spain
• Selected for the Austrian Wine Summit in 2015
• Recipient of the U.S. Cochran Fellowship in wines and spirits in 2016
• The only Indian judge at the Michelangelo Wine and Spirit Awards in South Africa, 2018

As a thought leader in the industry, Ajit has contributed to several leading publications including Times of India, Business Traveller India, Sommelier India, Asian Age, Deccan Chronicle, Living Foodz, Food Lovers, and Business World Hotelier.
Ajit is an alumnus of IHM Mumbai and holds an MBA in Marketing from S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research, Mumbai. Complete profile here