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T
he annual London Tea Trade Dinner is held on the first Thursday of May, which was the 1st of the month
last year.This, the 86th Dinner, was hosted at The Savoy Hotel, London.The tradition of hosting this Dinner
began over a hundred years ago, in 1911, with a few breaks during the two World Wars.This prestigious event
is attended by guests connected with the tea industry from all
around the world.
The Tea Trade Dinner Committee which organizes the entire
event also chooses the guest speaker. Traditionally, the speaker
has always been from the UK as it is a way to honour one of the
senior members of the trade and recognize the impact he has
made on the business over the years. There has been only one
non-UK based speaker before – the head of the USA tea
association – in his last year in office.
Last year,Mr Aditya Khaitan was chosen to speak at the Dinner
because, as the Tea Trade Dinner Committee Chairman says,
“He is MD of the world’s largest private and perhaps most
forward-thinking producer. Under his tenure the group has
grown significantly and appears to carry a very definite view of,
and aims for, the future. We wanted someone who is still very
much part of the evolution of the trade; somebody who is
helping to mould its future rather than looking back at his long
career. This would give us a speech that was relevant and that
people in the room would want to hear. To this end, Aditya
proved the perfect candidate.”
JANUARY 2015 03
As Hal Borland said, "Year's end is neither
an end nor a beginning but a going on,
with all the wisdom that experience can
instill in us." So, with the wisdom gathered
through the experiences of the last year, let
us move into this brand new year with
confidence to face challenges and eagerness
to see what lies in store.
Last May, Mr Aditya Khaitan was invited
to address guests at the London Tea Trade
Dinner, an honour so far reserved for
members only, with just one previous
exception. We bring you his speech which
was highly appreciated by the august
gathering.
In ‘Treasury’, we highlight the unique
features of two of the Company’s estates –
one in Upper Assam and the other in the
Dooars – and in ‘Cameo’, we get you better
acquainted with our very own ‘Pilot Sahab’
who has made a smooth landing from the
Indian Air Force to life in Tea.
A bright young schoolgirl who had the
self-confidence to join an international
talent hunt on her own volition is featured
in ‘Rainbow’; useful tips on Flower
Arrangement and Healthy Eating are
presented by ladies who write from
experience; and in Melange, we bring you
the usual mixed bag of latest events, births
and weddings.
As the Assam Valley School, an initiative
of the Williamson Magor Education Trust,
completes two decades of excellence, we
congratulate all those, past and present,
associated with its success.
In addition to funding reconstructive
surgery of cleft palate and lips, and the
treatment of eye problems, the Company
has recently started another project – this
time, for the benefit of persons with
physical disabilities. We bring you the
details of the first camp held at our
Phulbari Central Hospital in which people
were fitted with the Jaipur Foot.
‘HealthWatch’ gives us useful information
about common allergies while we are
provided with an insight into the
importance of developing one’s EQ in
‘Management Mantras’. Colleagues from
Vietnam, Uganda and Rwanda keep us
updated in ‘Phu Ben Communique’ and
‘African Beat’ while in Visitors’ Vignettes,
a guest from overseas presents his account
of a recent visit to some of our Assam
estates.
A young planter shares anecdotes from his
current working life in ‘Kamjari’, while in
‘Reminiscence’, a senior planter gives us
glimpses of his tenure with the Company
on the eve of his retirement.
As one retired planter recounts his
experiences while serving on the
Company’s estates some decades ago,
another celebrates his 80th birthday
felicitating the deserving children of
workers of the estate in which he served for
over a dozen years. Truly, a planter’s bond
with his estate and workers is life-long!
Something old, something new…
‘Narration’ tells you something about old
tea chests and their unusual uses, and a
brand new feature, ‘The Gem Collection’,
brings you a ‘gem’ from one of our estates –
a bamboo grove which is a natural
sanctuary for birds and other creatures.
As you sit back and prepare to read this
issue, raise that steaming cup of hot tea and
join me in saying, “Cheers to a new year
and another chance for us to get it right!"
LONDON TEA TRADE DINNER
“
In the arena of human life the honours and
rewards fall to those who show their good qualities
in action.
”
~ Aristotle
01
Cover: In the beauty of Nature lies
the spirit of Hope…
Photograph: Mr Abhishek Sengupta,
Central Dooars T.E.
02
Editorial / Features
03
Honours
London Tea Trade Dinner
08
African Beat – Uganda
Developing Human Resources at Mcleod Russel
in Uganda ~ Onesimus Matsiko
11
Treasury
Central Dooars T.E. ˜ Sarita Dasgupta
16
Reminiscence
Memories of My Life in Tea
˜ Partha S. Dowerah
18
Phu Ben Communique
Moon Festival ˜ Sakina Hussain
20
Beneficence
Aiding the Disabled ~ Dr P. K. Barman
Assam Valley School – Celebrating 20 Years
24
The Art of Arrangements
Say it with Flowers ˜ Daljit Singh
27
Cameo
Captain Sameer Joshi – a profile
~ Pushpajit Singh Gill
30
Melange
35
Treasury
Samdang T.E. ˜ Rupa Saikia
40
Kamjari
Pot-O-Tea ˜ Shashi Kant Subba
42
African Beat – Rwanda
Certification at Gisovu ˜ H. S. Grewal
44
The Memsahab’s Guide to
Gracious Living
Healthy Eating for Healthy Living ˜ Krishna Paulo
46
HealthWatch
Common Allergies ˜ Dr Abhijit Bora
48
Management Mantras
IQ & EQ – Enhance your EQ ˜ N.K. Dutt
50
Visitors’ Vignettes
˜ Nicholaos Yiannakis, Unilever
52
Narration
Ye Olde Tea Chest ˜ Sarita Dasgupta
56
The
Gem Collection
The Bamboo Grove at Koomsong T.E. ˜ Vivek Seth
58
Planter’s Punch
Yarns From Yesteryears ˜ Larry Brown
60
planters@play
East Boroi Club ˜ Rimjhim Sarma
62
Ties That Bind...
˜ Prithipal Singh Aswal
63
Postscript
˜ Rupa Saikia
64
Back Cover: Sunset by the Basra
Photograph: Mr Dipin Mehta,
Central Dooars T.E.
Features
Issue – 15
January 2015
Mr Aditya Khaitan at the Dinner
flanked by Mr Robin Harrison (L) and
Mr Edward Foster (R)