Covid-hit Nirmal chef stirs a storm in Tandoori Chai cup

Hyderabad: The popular inspirational line from poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan 'Lehron se dar kar nauka paar nahi hoti... Koshish karne walon ki kabhi haar nahi hoti' (the one who takes risks and tries his best will never lose) can be rightly attributed to Kontham Gangadhar.

Gangadhar, who has long experience as a chef in star hotels, got a lucrative job in Italy and was earning a salary of Rs 2 lakh per month. His decision to take a 20-day break and visit his family back home cost him dearly as corona pandemic engulfed the whole world and he could not get visa to go back and finally lost his job as restaurants were closed.

Gangadhar, who comes from a humble family of Chincholibi village in Nirmal district, was heartbroken and did not know what to do. But soon he gathered his courage and decided to try his hand at selling Tandoori Chai. Today, he not only owns a small restaurant but also provides employment to seven persons!

The 30-year-old chaiwala told The Hans India that he had done his hotel management course and started his career as a chef in Marriott hotels. After a few months, he was employed with Lufthansa airlines, Lemon Tree and in 2013 he got a job in Anantara Hotels and Resorts Palm, Dubai. After serving them for seven years, he got selected in Viking Cruises in Italy with a package of Rs 2 lakh per month in 2020.

Asked about how he got the idea of Tandoori Chai and what it is, Gangadhar said, "I was in Punjab for some time and there was a craze for Tandoori Chai. It was unique like street food. I decided to bring this to my hometown."

He said he did some research and worked out his own mix of tea powder. "I tasted about 20 types of tea powder. I made my own recipe with a mix of six types of tea. At 200-degree temperature, the authentic tea attracted people. I use clay cups and each one costs Rs 3 and we use pure milk and maintain a hygienic atmosphere. Whatever I expected, I got the same result. I am very happy now because I am now giving salaries to seven persons," said Gangadhar.

The tea stall had become so popular in the town that he sells a minimum of 1,000 cups of tea per day. With the success of Tandoori Chai, he started his own family restaurant now. Gangadhar says that more than the income, he feels more satisfied because he is able to provide employment to youth of his hometown.