Find Out Why This Indo-Australian “Chaiwalli” Is Trending On Social Media!

It looks like a good couple of months for the tea vending folk. First the hotter than lava chaiwala from Pakistan went viral on social media, and now it’s a chaiwali from Australia who’s doing the rounds on everybody’s social media feeds. Here’s why.

It’s true when they say ‘follow your passion’, because it could get you making headlines all across the world! Say hello to Uppma Virdi, a 26-year-old lawyer by profession and tea lover by passion. The Sydney-based professional recently bagged the Businesswoman of the Year at the ndian Australian Business and Community Awards (IABCA) 2016. All because of her love for chai.

Image: viralsection.com

Virdi has always been making chai for everyone, as she believes it brings people together. And when she went to Australia on a scholarship, she felt the need to enlighten everyone about Indian traditions and culture through a cup of chai. That is when history started paving Virdi’s way as a successful entrepreneur.

She started off by collaborating her grandfather’s knowledge of herbs, spices, and blends with her passion of brewing chai to roll out some sensational ayurvedic tea labeled ‘ChaiWalli’.

Image: ChaiWalli

Originally sold at an online store and a handful of local ones, Virdi’s blends started garnering all the attention and demand. This eventually led to an up scaling. Currently, the chaiwalli sells her goodies as retail and wholesale worldwide!

It sounds all peaches and blossoms, doesn’t it? Well, it wasn’t so easy to begin with as Uppma’s parents were not very excited about her tea venture. “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 her interview.

Image: woman.co.au

In addition to supplying her calming cuppa worldwide, Virdi also hosts “The Art Of Chai” workshops, wherein she shares her knowledge of brewing the perfect cup of chai with everyone. “My real aim is to educate the Australian society about the Indian culture through tea,” she says.

Meanwhile, I have to think twice before getting off my bum even for a cup of dip-dip tea. Sigh.

Feature Image (L-R): clearpointcounsel.com; chaiwalli.co.au