In a major global celebration of 200 years of Assam tea, the India Pavilion at the Summer Fancy Food Show 2025 was opened on Sunday at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York.
Ambassador Binaya S. Pradhan, the Indian consul general in New York, and Ravi Kota, the chief secretary to the Assamese government, jointly opened the pavilion.
The celebration commemorated the anniversary of Assam Tea's discovery along the banks of the Brahmaputra River in 1823 and demonstrated how it has developed into a highly valued product with strong cultural and commercial ties worldwide, according to an official statement.
Kota reflected on the history of Assam tea, describing how it began in untamed tea bushes and how its rich, malty aromas and deep amber brews brought it international renown. He also underlined the importance of the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre, which trades more than 250 million kg a year via an open and digital platform and is the biggest in India by volume.
Through future alliances in blockchain, artificial intelligence, and academic cooperation, the Assam government is taking advantage of this milestone to strengthen ties between India and the US. In order to encourage traceability and sustainability, planned initiatives include the "Heritage to Wellness" Tea Showcase in the US and the signing of memorandums of understanding with US merchants, universities, and innovation platforms.
Prominent Assamese tea companies, like Luxmi, Tata, Goodricke, and Unilever, support this goal of extending Assam Tea's global reach while embracing responsible growth.
In closing, Kota thanked the Tea Board of India, ITPO, the Consulate General of India in New York, and other industry partners and stakeholders for their support of this historic celebration of Assam's long-standing tea heritage.