From selling chai under a peepal tree to serving Prime Minister Narendra Modi, why the story of this man from Jaipur is worth telling

It began under the unforgiving heat of Jaipur, beneath the quiet shade of a peepal tree. A man, with little more than an aluminium pan and a dream, started selling humble cups of chai in kulhads (clay pots)—because glass cups, back then, belonged to the privileged. With patience, day after day, he stirred together milk, water, sugar, and tea leaves, but what truly set his chai apart was something far more powerful: his unwavering love and sincerity to his art of making tea. There were no shortcuts, no spotlight, just years of quiet hard work, patience, and faith in his craft. People came and went, but one thing that was always there was his consistency, honesty to his art and dedication to serving people. He wasn't just brewing tea 365 days, he was building a legacy in the Pink City, one cup at a time. And then, decades later, life came full circle. The same humble stall had the honour of serving chai to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron. In that moment, it wasn’t just tea being highlighted to the world, it was years of hard work, hope, struggle, and resilience finding its place on global platforms.

The beginning of Sahu Chai Wala

Late Shree Ladhu Ram, started the world-famous Sahu Chaiwala in Jaipur in 1968 under a big peepal tree. Fondly known as “Sahu Chai Wala,” his tea stall was always known for welcoming guests with love and affection and piping hot cup of tea. They are the Jaipur’s oldest and most-loved chai spot and the legacy was first carried forwad by his son Rajender Kumar Sahu and then Anil Sahu, the legacy’s third generation.

What are they known for

As the name suggests, then started as a humble chai stall in 1968 and today, there are running many franchise of the brand aross Rajasthan along with the catering servies for wedding and parties. The brand offers two main models: a cafe model and a kiosk model that sells variety of chai including Sahu Special Kulhad Chai, Adrak Kulhad Chai, Kesar Kulhad Chia and they also have a range of green teas. For snacks, they have Bun Maska, Butter Toast, Maggi, Malai Toast, Mathri, Cookies, Khari, Namak Para, Rusk, Potato Chips and more. Currently, they offer a menu with over 100 yummy food items and lots of different drinks. According to them, its their love for making the perfect chai, which has made them thee most well-known and long-lasting chai spot in Jaipur.

The moment of fame

For Sahu Chai Wala, it was all going smooth until January 2024, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with French President Emmanuel Macron visited the chai stall to enjoy a tea during the latter's India visit. During his trip to Jaipur with the French President, he posted an Instagram post where they both can be seen enjoying Kulhad Wali Chai. He captioned the video, "Tea with my friend President @emmanuelmacron"Sahu Chai Stall". As per the video post, they enjoyed Kulhad Chai at the famous Sahu Chai Stall, which is situated in the main bazaar of Jaipur. In the video, PM Modi also explained the benefits of drinking tea in kulhad. He said, "This is the most environment-friendly way of drinking tea and gives you a special taste of Earth also." After enjoying the tea, Emmanuel used the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to make the payment at the tea stall. Prime Minister Modi also explained the UPI digital payments system to him during the conversation.

What does the success of tea stall teaches us

Well, there are hundreds of chai stalls across India and even within Jaipur but the success of Sahu Chai Wala proves that consistent effort and commitment, no matter how small your beginnings, can take you far. This is a gentle reminder that hard work doesn’t go unnoticed and is appreciated even by the highest offices. While they started with a small tea stall under a peepal tree, they focused on taste, consistency, and customer experience that is what became their key to success and fame. In a world full of shortcuts, their journey reminds us that excellence in your craft attracts attention, respect, and opportunities, even from unexpected quarters. Also, it is important to understamnd that you don’t need fancy infrastructure, money, or connections to make a mark. Sahu’s stall was simple, a few cups of tea and a lot of heart, but it did create a brand and story strong enough to reach national attention. Their success is a sweet reminder to the younger generations that opportunities often come to those who put themselves and their work out there.