Yangdup Lama, one of India's finest mixologists, has received the Roku Industry Icon Award 2024.

The prestigious award was announced at an event held in Hong Kong on Tuesday that also unveiled the list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars.

“I had not thought of this recognition even in my wildest dreams. I had not thought that someone from India would be recognised with this award as the bar scene and cocktail culture is far ahead in other countries,” Lama told The Telegraph from Gurgaon.

Besides being an internationally acclaimed mixologist, Lama, 52, is also an author and entrepreneur.

Lama was born in a small village in Gayabari in Kurseong and did a course on hotel management from Calcutta.

“I belong to a small village and thus this recognition also gives me a sense of accomplishment in my 27-year-old career,” said Lama.

The Asia’s 50 Best Bars Academy is a mechanism set up by a UK-based organisation that creates the Asia’s 50 Best Bars list. The academy comprises 265 members, each selected for their expertise in the industry that draws up the list.

The top three rankholders this year were Bar Leone from Hong Kong, Zest from Seoul and Jigger & Pony from Singapore.

Bengaluru’s ZLB 23 was India’s only representative in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 list, securing the 40th position.

In the past, Lama’s bar Sidecar, which he co-owns with Minakshi Singh, had ranked 26 in the world’s best bar list in 2022.

Lama and Minakshi own two bars by the Sidecar brand in Delhi and another called Cocktail and Dreams Speakeasy in Gurgaon. “We are opening the third Sidecar bar in Gurgaon soon,” said Lama, who is also exploring the possibility of expanding his brand in Kathmandu.

Lama is also known for using mountain elements in his creation. He had also come up with a cocktail using Makaibari tea leaves along with hill products such as dalle khorsani (round chillies), timur (Sichuan pepper), lali guras (rhododendron) and tite pati (mugwort), among others.

Lama was also appointed American Whiskey Ambassador to India by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States and India Attaché by Tales of the Cocktails (New Orleans). He was also featured in the 2020 list of Drinks International's Bar World 100 list of most influential people.