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Karan Dhanelia, representing Indore, has been crowned as the "Bartender of the Year 2026" at the Diageo World Class (India, Nepal & Sri Lanka), 12th edition. The two-day event that was held at Le Méridien Gurgaon on March 27 and 28 brought together top talent from across the places. From over 800 entries that narrowed down to 21 finalists, the event showed off their skills to an expert judging panel of internationally renowned bartenders, including David Rios, Tim Philips, Konstantinos Mourloukos, Jenna Ba, Yangdup Lama and Minakshi Singh.
Dhanelia, who is the Head Mixologist at Atelier V, stood out due to his imagination, creativity, serenity, and strong knowledge of flavours. In only his second year at World Class, he bagged the top title along with wins in the Speed Round and the Singleton 12 Sensory Sessions challenge. His use of quirky elements such as onion soda and spirulina syrup left an everlasting impression on the panel.
A Competition That Reflects Changing Cocktail Culture
The finals on Saturday brought together eight exceptional bartenders from across India, each representing some of the country's most celebrated cocktail bars. Chitra M of NOVY in Gurgaon, Dheeraj Bhatt of Quinta Cantina in Goa, and Dishant Kanojia of 1932 Trevi in Jaipur competed alongside Gracy Chourey of Soka Cocktail Bar in Bengaluru, Karan Dhanelia of Atelier V in Indore, and Rajneesh Barthwal of No Vacancy in New Delhi, with the lineup completed by Sarbani Mukherjee of Conversation Room in Kolkata and Siddhesh Palande of The Bombay Canteen in Mumbai.
Across a series of gruelling challenges - including the Quiz Round, the Sensory Sessions with Singleton 12, the Digital Galeria Don Julio 1942, and the Speed Round - the finalists pushed their craft, knowledge, and composure to the limit. While Karan Dhanelia emerged as the winner, Siddhesh Palande closely followed in second place and Gracy Chourey in third.
This year’s "Bartender of the Year" edition witnessed a notable shift, with India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka coming together on a single stage, and that too for the very first time ever. The top 8 finalists were from metro and Tier 2 cities that included Indore and Jaipur, alongside Gurgaon, Goa, Bengaluru, New Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai.
It is also to be noted that the finals also had the highest-ever female finalists, with three women making it to the top 8, showing how the industry has shifted on a much broader perspective.
(Image credit: Diageo World Class India)
Creativity, Pressure, And Precision On Display
The competition had a series of concept-led rounds that were created to test strategy, creativity, and adaptability. From rephrasing music into the flavour in The Singleton 12 challenge to preparing art-inspired cocktails with Don Julio 1942, each round was made to push bartenders beyond just the familiar designs and limits. The finale Speed Round also tried accuracy under pressure, where Dhanelia’s control over classic cocktails eventually confirmed his win.
(Image credit: Diageo World Class India)
Speaking on his win, Dhanelia said, “Winning World Class is a monumental moment for me. It is something I have worked very hard for, and to be capable of representing India on a global stage is extremely special and personal to me. I'm also glad that I can put Indore on the cocktail map of India.” He further added that this journey pushed him to rethink his skills and craft, from testing with flavours to telling a story through each drink.
Anchal Kaushal, Vice President, Customer Marketing at Diageo India, said, “To see this year’s winner appear from a city like Indore is quite exciting and shows the depth that World Class has reached. The composure that Karan expressed throughout the competition was admirable.”
Dhanelia will now represent the Indian subcontinent at the World Class Global Finals later this year, stepping on a platform that has shaped some of the most acknowledged names in international bartending.
(Image credit: Diageo World Class India)
