Journalists honour 75-year-old ‘chaiwala’ for four decades of service

On Monday evening, almost 20 years after he closed shop and moved to distant Titwala in Thane district, the journalists, who count Baban as a friend and a family member, gathered in Mumbai to celebrate his 75th birthday. The journalists described Baban as more of a friend and family member, rather than just a tea seller.

For 75-year-old Baban Kemkar, it was a felicitation any other 'chaiwala' would have only dreamt of. Several journalists, including a former MP and an ex-legislator, were part of a large gathering in Mumbai to honour Kemkar, fondly called Babanseth by them. Those present in the packed Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh hall on Monday evening were once regulars at the night tea stall he operated outside Dadar railway station for almost four decades. For the journalists, returning home late, usually after their newspaper's city edition had gone to press, Baban's stall was the usual place to meet and chitchat over piping hot tea. On Monday evening, almost 20 years after he closed shop and moved to distant Titwala in Thane district, the journalists, who count Baban as a friend and a family member, gathered in Mumbai to celebrate his 75th birthday. For some, it was not just the tea but the gossip that drew them to Baban's tea stall night after night. The regulars then also included actors Nana Patekar and Prashant Damle, new entrants in Marathi theatre. The way Baban prepared tea was an event in itself. Senior journalist Ambarish Mishra said it was akin to watching an expert Russian ballerina perform. ''Even the high tea at Buckingham Palace would have been no match for Baban's tea. He put his life in every cup,'' Mishra said. Former MP Kumar Ketkar and former MLC Kapil Patil, both veteran journalists, informed the gathering that they were beneficiaries of the famous 'Baban tea'. The journalists described Baban as more of a friend and family member, rather than just a tea seller. Replying to the felicitation, an overwhelmed Baban said the feeling was mutual.