THE GOLDEN LEAF INDIA AWARDS: SOUTHERN TEA COMPETITION [TGLIA: STC 2025]

7.March.2025

THE GOLDEN LEAF INDIA AWARDS: SOUTHERN TEA COMPETITION [TGLIA: STC 2025]

The Golden Leaf India Awards: Southern Tea Competition (hereafter TGLIA) is a first ever structured tea quality competition to be organized anywhere in the world and a classic case of public-private initiative. In a span of nineteen years, TGLIA has craved a special niche in the tea world for championing the efforts towards quality renaissance. The Golden Leaf India Awards: Southern Tea Competition (TGLIA), started its journey in 2005 showcasing the quality profile of South Indian tea has successfully completed 19 years. TGLIA a classic public-private initiative by Tea Board of India and the United Planters' Association of Southern India (UPASI) has generated much enthusiasm among producers who have realized their potential to produce teas which could be internationally benchmarked. TGLIA has provided a platform to the producer for being recognized not only in the marketplace but also for instilling a competitive spirit among the peers to excel in quality. TGLIA highlights various tea growing regions in South India and the teas from these regions present a unique expression of the agro-climatic diversity. Over the last 19 years the competition has strategically developed the South Indian Tea brand highlighting its regional attributes. This has received strong welcome and accolades from discerning tea connoisseurs. The aromatic Nilgiris, the fragrant High Ranges, the floral Anamallais, the brisk Wayanad, the full-bodied Travancore and the balanced Karnataka are known and appreciated as representing the interesting facets of South Indian Teas. TGLIA, the first-ever organized tea tasting quality competition held anywhere in the world is appreciated for its metrics -content and methodology, in particular. The South Indian tea industry has put in substantial efforts towards enhancing the quality profile of the teas by reformatting field practices, re-engineering factory processes and by restructuring business policies.  Recognizing the need for an appropriate positioning of the quality attributes of South India teas in both national and international markets – the Tea Board of India and the United Planters’ Association of Southern India (UPASI) jointly had conducted nineteen editions of the competition during 2005, 2013 and 2024 in Coonoor, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018 & 2023 at Dubai, 2007, 2009 & 2017 in Kochi, 2011 in Coimbatore, 2015 in Mumbai and 2019 in Ahmedabad. The 2020 & 2021 editions were held remotely in light of the COVID Pandemic. The competition was well received and there was a unanimous opinion among the jury about the quality improvement from the region.