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A chaiwali has been awarded 'businesswoman of the year'

“My parents and family were totally against it. They asked why I wanted to be a tea seller."

Life And Style Desk November 03, 2016

PHOTO. CLEARPOINT COUNSEL.

Seems like the chaiwala craze has gone global.

A Sydney-based lawyer and chai lover Uppma Virdi has won the title of 'Businesswoman of the year' thanks to her love for the beverage.

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Keen on spreading awareness about Indian culture through her favourite hot drink, the 26-year-old started up a business selling chai a couple of years ago and now she has won at the Indian Australian Business and Community Awards (IABCA) 2016, SBS reported.

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Using her grandfather's knowledge of herbs, spices and blends, Virdi learnt how to make Ayurvedic teas.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMFUUjBBlhn/?taken-by=chai_walli

Starting off, she sold her blends through an online store and to some local stores at wholesale rates. Her dedication and hard work had her business crawling towards success and she now sells retail as well as wholesale tea worldwide.

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However, things weren't always perfect. Even though she kept her day job as a lawyer, her parents did not approve of her chai buisness. "My parents and family were totally against it. They asked why I wanted to be a tea seller. I said I wanted to show that tea sellers can do something. All the chaiwalas and chaiwalis in India are doing something entrepreneurial. Even if they are not well-educated, at least they have a business spirit," Virdi said in an interview.

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“Wherever I go, I make tea. My parents’ number one request is ‘Uppma, make some tea.’ When my brother got married, I think I must have made a thousand cups of tea for all the guests,” Virdi told SBS.

“Even when I went overseas to Austria on a scholarship, I used to make tea for everyone. It was a way of bringing people together,” she added.

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Virdi also holds workshops for 'The Art of Chai' where she coaches others on how to brew the perfect cup of tea. “My real aim is to educate the Australian society about the Indian culture through tea,” she added.

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