From Single Malts to Smart TVs: NXT Fellowship Cohort of 2026 Witness India’s Industrial Revolution in Indri

The NXT Fellowship’s industry immersion visits moved learning from the lecture hall to the factory floor, allowing scholars to see “NXT India” in action. The highlight of this industrial journey was a visit to Piccadilly Distilleries in Indri, Haryana, where the fellows witnessed how India is combining traditional craftsmanship with global scale to produce world-class products.

This industrial exploration was conducted by 65 fellows from 21 countries and 37 universities, including Chetna Purohit Mukesh from MIT Pune, Priyadharshini K and Sankalp Samdariya from Indian Institute of Science, Anna Obukhovskaia and Halina Skiba from Higher School of Economics, Sujin Heo from American University, Elizabeth Sandra Reyes and Sarthak Agarwal from Harvard University, Siddhartha Shankar Reddy Bhimireddy from UC Berkeley, and Schwarzman Scholars Bradley James Jardine, Chengkai Xi, Noa Rassin, Tobias Versten Straus, and Nam Nguyen. Nominated by their universities, these fellows were chosen to see firsthand the economic engines driving India’s growth.

At Piccadilly Distilleries, the home of the award-winning Indri single malt whisky, fellows explored the intricacies of India’s largest independent malt spirit producer. They toured the facility to learn about:

• The whisky-making process, from fermentation and distillation to the patient aging stage.

• The distillery’s role as a major economic driver, supporting regional employment in Haryana.

• The blending of local ingredients with international standards has made Indri a global name in premium spirits.

The tour continued to Videotex, a giant in Indian electronic manufacturing. Established in 1984, Videotex serves as an ODM/OEM partner for leading global brands, with a facility in Greater Noida capable of producing over 3.2 million TV units annually. Fellows observed the assembly line and participated in a television drop test, gaining insight into the rigorous quality controls that define modern Indian manufacturing. 

These visits were designed to show the 65 global scholars that India’s growth is tangible and sophisticated. By walking the floors of Piccadilly and Videotex, the fellows saw the grit, the precision, and the ambition that define India’s industrial landscape, returning home with a concrete understanding of why India is the world’s most watched emerging economy.