Devan Shah accepting the Cha Jing Lifetime Achievement Award, World Tea AwardsLONG BEACH, Calif. - Specialty tea import pioneer Devan Shah basked in the warmth of praise and standing applause of his peers at a black-tie ceremony on board the Queen Mary, tearful in gratitude before family and friends.
In accepting the Cha Jing Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2014 World Tea Expo, Shah spoke of his heritage in the tea lands of India and the remarkable opportunity America presented 25 years ago on the founding of International Tea Importers (ITI).
His lifetime commitment to tea education and innovation was detailed by author James Norwood Pratt who cited the creation of the Chado Tea Rooms, the Los Angeles International Tea Festival and that fact that Shah was perhaps America’s most influential champion of chai. “Everyone knows black tea is the most popular tea here and that green tea is second, but few recognize that it is Devan who made chai the third most popular tea in America,” said Pratt.
As emcee George Jage, Founder & Director of The Beverage Group @ F+W Media, Inc., said “Devan helped spearhead America’s tea renaissance.”
Shah has financed books, sponsored seminars and exhibitions, given talks and presentations
Lt to Rt: George Jage, Gail Gastelu, Devan Shah, and Norwood Pratt
and hosted countless tea samplings at events that led others to the discovery of fine tea.
“Shah has extended his love of tea to thousands,” said Jage, who presented the crystal trophy.
Against life-size images of his activities projected on the big screen in the stately Queen Mary Salon, Shah humbly thanked the crowd, his daughter and immediate family and the many relatives who traveled from his beloved Nilgiris to attend the banquet.
He received toasts well into the night in the celebration that followed on the observation deck of the historic ship.
