True brew

Rewinding to how they stormed a male-dominated bastion, Zinia says, “We took our first step into the business in 1985, after the demise of our father Noshirwan Irani. Having visualised a potential for beer of excellent quality in the Indian market, he had started the company in 1973 and launched brands like London Pilsner, London Diet. I had already begun working with him for some time but it was after his death that we decided that my mother and sister step in and take over the reins of the company,” explains Zinia.

So how did it feel walking into a business dominated almost entirely by men? “That’s one query we’re answering all the time!” smiles Bakhtawar, “Frankly, while we didn’t give that aspect much importance, many did think that we wouldn’t last. It feels good to know that not only have we lasted but we’ve also done a pretty good job too. And if anyone had apprehensions about us as bosses, it was probably because we are women, period, and not because we are women heading a brewery. Actually, people are more broad-minded than we like to think. And our experience has shown us that India is not as conservative it used to be.”

“We had the full support of all our relatives. Actually, since there were no sons in the family, it was always understood that someday we would take over,” adds Zinia. Getting to know the ropes did pose a challenge initially, though, and this is where their belief in hands-on experience reaped them rich dividends. Bakhtawar, an ardent beer fan herself, managed to develop a knack for differentiating between various beers with the expertise of a professional. “One sip and I can tell you the brand, and discern its strong and weak points,” she laughs.

Bakhtawar, incidentally, is a regular visitor to Pune, spending most weekends with her grandmother on Boat Club Road. “My father was a Puneite who had studied at St Vincent’s High School and Fergusson College before moving to Mumbai for business. Another thing that brings me here is my passion for races, compounded by the fact that my husband is a trainer. So it was a deliberate decision to coincide the San Miguel launch with the racing season here,” says Bakhtawar.

Having schooled in England and done their college in Mumbai, Bakhtawar and Zinia abide by the belief that at the end of the day, what really matters is how well you know your job. Gender is a secondary issue. And while beer is soft liquor, they are pretty confident that they would have managed the hard stuff just as well. “There would not have been any problem because we would have put our energies into making a success of that too,” emphasises Zinia. As they say, that’s the spirit!