Guwahati: In Assam’s tranquil tea valleys, where every leaf holds generations of tradition, a quiet but powerful shift is underway, led by Nayan J Kalita, a young changemaker and the founder of The Chayi.
From Computer Science to Community Empowerment
Raised in Assam, Kalita earned his engineering degree from Gauhati University and completed his M.Tech at Tezpur University. While many of his peers pursued careers in IT, Kalita took a different route after working in an NGO. That experience, where he engaged closely with rural communities, sparked his interest in sustainable living and grassroots entrepreneurship.
A Cup That Changed Everything
During his NGO tenure, Kalita discovered a unique green tea made by local innovator Pabitra Borah. The flavor, earthy, fresh, and vibrant, captivated him. That single cup transformed into a deep curiosity, leading him to explore tea fermentation, regional flavors, and cultural connections. He soon realized that tea could be a powerful medium for impact, not just a drink.
Early Experiments and Valuable Failures
Kalita first ventured into the tea business by opening a sports-themed café in Dharapur, Guwahati. The café didn’t succeed, but it gave him real-world lessons in customer behavior, operations, and branding. More importantly, it affirmed his belief in the untapped potential of Assam’s tea ecosystem.
Founding The Chayi: Connecting Farmers and Consumers
In 2019, Kalita launched The Chayi with a mission to bridge the gap between small tea growers and modern tea consumers. Starting with curated tea gift boxes and B2B sales, he focused on storytelling, quality, and authenticity. Each product wasn’t just a beverage, it carried a message and a purpose.
Teamwork and Growth
With co-founders like Priyankush Kalita and Asif Nasir, The Chayi began as a small, passionate team. Together, they scaled the business while staying true to its core values: sustainability, transparency, and farmer empowerment.
Recognition and Support: DBT BIRAC Grant
In a competitive startup landscape, The Chayi earned early recognition by securing a ?50 lakh Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG) from DBT BIRAC. The funding supported their research into probiotic tea beverages like kombucha, blending traditional Assamese tea-making with modern fermentation science.
Empowering Small Tea Growers in Assam
At its heart, The Chayi is about uplifting Assam’s small tea growers. Kalita built a direct supply chain model that now works with six tea gardens. The company offers growers:
Training in quality and sustainability
Fair pricing and ethical sourcing
Total transparency and traceability
By removing middlemen, The Chayi ensures growers receive fair compensation and consumers enjoy high-quality, ethically sourced tea.
Growth, Revenue, and Market Reach
In less than a year, The Chayi crossed Rs 35 lakh in lifetime revenue, entirely bootstrapped and community-driven. They built a loyal customer base through word of mouth and honest storytelling. Today, their teas reach several Indian cities, with products like kombucha and green tea among their bestsellers.
Sustainability at the Core
Kalita ensures that The Chayi remains eco-conscious. The brand uses sustainable packaging, avoids artificial additives, and educates consumers about composting, reusing leaves, and mindful brewing. The mission goes beyond profit, it's about restoring balance between people and the planet.
Looking Ahead: Brewing a Larger Movement
Kalita envisions The Chayi not just as a tea company but as a social movement. Future plans include:
Launching a tea-tasting experience center in Assam
Expanding kombucha to health cafés across Indian metros
Collaborating with government programs to support more farmers
Introducing export-quality blends for global wellness markets
Brewing More Than Just Tea
In an era obsessed with funding rounds and valuations, The Chayi focuses on values, heritage, community, and sustainability. Nayan J Kalita’s journey from Assam’s villages to India’s premium tea shelves shows what happens when purpose meets passion.
Through every blend, every partnership, and every sip, The Chayi champions a simple yet radical idea: real change brews from the grassroots.
