New Delhi, July 19 -- Tea has an image problem. In India, we still think of it as comforting and familiar, or as a drink to pause, unwind with. Both are true, but they carry a passivity that does tea no favours. Add to this, we've marketed tea on nostalgia or health-well-worn but lacking appeal to a new generation.

Look at any beverage that's trending or has the attention of 20-somethings. Coffee is associated with high energy. So too is matcha, which managed to push wellness into a visually striking and social-media-friendly drink. Boba, even if it became more about toppings and tapioca, showed that tea could be playful. The lesson seems obvious: make tea fun.

I drove into Amchong Tea Estate, outside Guwahati, last month, with signages...