Press Release
Press Release from Tourism and Civil Aviation Department
Information & Public Relations Department
Winemaking Training at IHM Gangtok Under Sikkim INSPIRES (8 December, 2025)
The Institute of Hotel Management, Gangtok, under the Sikkim INSPIRES Project, successfully inaugurated a Winemaking Training Programme today. The initiative aims to build local entrepreneurship skills, promote value addition, and support homestay-based tourism through specialised capacity-building.
The training witnessed enthusiastic participation, with close to 40 trainees, of whom an impressive 95% were women. Most participants were homestay operators, aspiring entrepreneurs, and individuals keen to start small-scale beverage and value-added production units.
The inaugural ceremony began with opening remarks by Ms. Indira Singh, Senior Faculty, IHM Gangtok, who warmly welcomed all participants and introduced the resource person for the programme. She highlighted the importance of such capacity-building initiatives in enhancing self-reliance and strengthening Sikkim’s tourism and hospitality sector.
Following this, Dr. Prerna Chamling, Additional Secretary (Tourism and Civil Aviation Department) cum Administrator – IHM Gangtok, provided an overview of the Sikkim INSPIRES Project, emphasising its role in empowering communities, especially women and youth, through targeted skill development interventions. She encouraged participants to make full use of the opportunity, noting that training programmes like this support sustainable livelihoods and strengthen local enterprise ecosystems.
Mr. Gaurav Thapar, the resource person / instructor for this training, then addressed the gathering, offering a brief outline of the training content and the practical demonstrations that participants can expect over the coming days. They highlighted the growing scope of fruit-based winemaking in Sikkim and the potential for homestay owners and rural entrepreneurs to diversify their offerings.
The training is being led by Mr. Gaurav Thapar, a distinguished professional in the field of viticulture and oenology. He currently serves as the Wine Ambassador, Karnataka Grape & Wine Board (Government of Karnataka Undertaking), and brings extensive international and technical expertise to the programme.
His credentials include:
• WSET Level 3 Award in Wines and Spirits
• WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits
• Graduate Diploma in Viticulture and Oenology, Lincoln University, New Zealand
• B.Sc. (Hons.) Agricultural Sciences, Punjab Agricultural University, India
With his strong academic foundation and industry experience, Mr. Thapar is providing participants with practical, science-based knowledge on winemaking processes, quality standards, and enterprise development opportunities.
The Winemaking Training will continue over the next few days, covering fermentation techniques, hygiene and safety, equipment handling, fruit selection, and small-scale production processes. Sessions on legal requirements and standardisation will also be included to ensure responsible and compliant practices.
This initiative marks another step under Sikkim INSPIRES toward developing skilled, empowered, and self-sustaining local communities.
The Institute of Hotel Management, Gangtok, under the Sikkim INSPIRES Project, successfully inaugurated a Winemaking Training Programme today. The initiative aims to build local entrepreneurship skills, promote value addition, and support homestay-based tourism through specialised capacity-building.
The training witnessed enthusiastic participation, with close to 40 trainees, of whom an impressive 95% were women. Most participants were homestay operators, aspiring entrepreneurs, and individuals keen to start small-scale beverage and value-added production units.
The inaugural ceremony began with opening remarks by Ms. Indira Singh, Senior Faculty, IHM Gangtok, who warmly welcomed all participants and introduced the resource person for the programme. She highlighted the importance of such capacity-building initiatives in enhancing self-reliance and strengthening Sikkim’s tourism and hospitality sector.
Following this, Dr. Prerna Chamling, Additional Secretary (Tourism and Civil Aviation Department) cum Administrator – IHM Gangtok, provided an overview of the Sikkim INSPIRES Project, emphasising its role in empowering communities, especially women and youth, through targeted skill development interventions. She encouraged participants to make full use of the opportunity, noting that training programmes like this support sustainable livelihoods and strengthen local enterprise ecosystems.
Mr. Gaurav Thapar, the resource person / instructor for this training, then addressed the gathering, offering a brief outline of the training content and the practical demonstrations that participants can expect over the coming days. They highlighted the growing scope of fruit-based winemaking in Sikkim and the potential for homestay owners and rural entrepreneurs to diversify their offerings.
The training is being led by Mr. Gaurav Thapar, a distinguished professional in the field of viticulture and oenology. He currently serves as the Wine Ambassador, Karnataka Grape & Wine Board (Government of Karnataka Undertaking), and brings extensive international and technical expertise to the programme.
His credentials include:
• WSET Level 3 Award in Wines and Spirits
• WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits
• Graduate Diploma in Viticulture and Oenology, Lincoln University, New Zealand
• B.Sc. (Hons.) Agricultural Sciences, Punjab Agricultural University, India
With his strong academic foundation and industry experience, Mr. Thapar is providing participants with practical, science-based knowledge on winemaking processes, quality standards, and enterprise development opportunities.
The Winemaking Training will continue over the next few days, covering fermentation techniques, hygiene and safety, equipment handling, fruit selection, and small-scale production processes. Sessions on legal requirements and standardisation will also be included to ensure responsible and compliant practices.
This initiative marks another step under Sikkim INSPIRES toward developing skilled, empowered, and self-sustaining local communities.
