Sunday was International Tea Day. The United Nations has described tea as the world’s second-most consumed drink after water. According to the UN, it is believed that tea originated in northeast India, north Myanmar, and southwest China. There is evidence that some people in China consumed tea about 5,000 years ago. The UN declared May 21 as International Tea Day on December 21, 2019. It has been globally accepted that the production and processing of tea constitute a major source of livelihoods for millions of families in developing countries, apart from being the main means of subsistence for millions of poor families who live in a number of least developed countries. Tea is also a major source of income and export revenues for some of the poorest countries and, being a labour-intensive sector, provides jobs to millions in remote and economically disadvantaged areas. The UN has stated that tea, being one of the most important cash crops, can play a significant role in rural development, poverty reduction, and food security in developing countries. Moreover, according to the UN, tea consumption can bring health benefits and wellness due to the beverage’s anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and weight-loss effects. Tea is grown in several countries around the world, among which China, India, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan, Iran, and Argentina occupy the top ten positions in descending order. The Tea Board of India website, quoting the ITC Annual Bulletin of Statistics, 2022, showed that while the global production of tea during 2021 stood at 6455.19 million kg, China alone accounted for about 3063.15 million kg (47.45 percent) of it, while India stood second with 1343.06 million kg, or 21 percent. But, looking at exports, one finds that of the 1928.89 million kg exported across the globe during 2021, Kenya topped the chart with 558.93 million kg, or 28.97 percent, followed by China (369.36 million kg, or 19.14 percent), Sri Lanka (282.84 million kg, or 14.66 percent), and India (196.54 million kg, or 10.18 percent). For Assam, tea holds special significance. It is the largest tea-producing state in the country, and more than 50% of India’s tea is produced here. This year 2023, on the other hand, is particularly significant in that this is the 200th year of the “discovery” of tea in India, though the fact remains that certain communities in Assam and present-day Arunachal Pradesh have been drinking tea from time immemorial. The 200th year has come about because a sahib, a Scottish arms trader and mercenary soldier called Robert Bruce, “discovered” tea bushes growing in Assam.