Wagh Bakri scion Parag Desai passes away at 49

Wagh Bakri Tea Group's executive director Parag Desai passed away on October 22 at the age of 49 years due to brain haemorrhage, the company said in a statement on Monday. The development comes days after Desai was attacked in a dog fight.

"With profound grief and sorrow we regret to inform the sad demise of our beloved Shri Parag Desai," says the company in an Instagram post.

According to reports, Desai was attacked by stray dogs outside his residence on October 15. Desai sustained several injuries during the attack. Following the attack, he was immediately taken to Shelby Hospital in Ahmedabad, where he was kept under observation for a day. He was later shifted to Zydus Hospital where he underwent a surgical procedure. While undergoing treatment, he succumbed to injuries and passed away due to a brain haemorrhage on Sunday.

Desai was the fourth generation member to manage the Wagh Bakri Group, which was established by Narandan Desai in 1892. An MBA from Long Island University in the U.S., Desai is touted to be the face behind the group’s transformation into Tea Lounges and e-commerce. Desai spearheaded the sales, marketing and exports of the Wagh Bakri business and was an expert tea taster and evaluator.

Condoling his demise, Shaktisinh Gohil, Rajya Sabha MP and Gujarat Congress chief wrote on X, "Very sad news coming in. Parag Desai, Director and owner Wagh Bakri Tea passed away. He had a brain haemorrhage following a fall. May his soul rest in peace. My condolences to the entire Wagh Bakri family across India."

Established in 1892, Wagh Bakri Group is the part of Gujarat Tea Processors and Packers Limited that is known for premium tea. Wagh Bakri Tea Group has a turnover of over ₹2,000 crore and over 50 million kgs of tea distribution. The group has an undisputed presence in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharshtra, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Western Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Punjab, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. The group has recently forayed into Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa.