Like a juvenile working at a tea stall in India, Uppma Virdi walked in to SBS office with nearly a dozen tea cups carefully stacked in a metallic wire rack. She introduced herself as 'Chai walli' to everyone.
A lawyer by profession, 26 year old Uppma Virdi is equally professional about her special 'masala tea'.
Uppma learnt the art of tea making from her grandfather who is a homeopath in India, and used to treat his patients with his special 'Ayurvedic' tea.
Since her grand dad got old, she decided to share his "beautiful" chai with the world. Uppma says, every Indian has a bit fo Ayurvedic knowledge in him.
Now, her brand of tea is stocked across Australia, and she travels to different parts of the country to train people in 'brewing tea'.
She says tea making is an art.
Uppma Virdi at SBS's Melboure office Source: SBS Punjabi
"The tea at cafes in western countries is too spicy, it's not the real tea. I tell them how to make it. Our masala tea is meant to be soothing, calming... The real tea is remedial, aromatic, subtle."
Uppma has been able to turn her passion for tea making into a business.
"When I started, I had no idea how to run a business, but now I am stocked across Australia and I train and tell people what authentic Indian tea is."
It all began during her university days.
"My university had sent me to Austria on a scholarship, and there wherever I went I had tea in my back pack, and I made 'Chai' for everyone."
"When I came back and became a lawyer, I realised I could do business with my tea."
Her parents weren't quite enthused with her tea-making business idea.
"At first, their reaction wasn't too great. But now that I have my own warehouse, it's a business. So, now they are my number one fan."
So far Uppma has balanced her career both as a lawyer and a 'Chai walli' business woman, and she intends to maintain it.
"I call myself the Chai making lawyer. And I have trained all the lawyers in tea-making at my work," she chuckles.
