Who is Akhil Patel, the Indian-origin entrepreneur who served chai to PM Modi in the UK?
On July 23, 2025,
PM Modi
left on a four-day visit to the UK and the Maldives in order to boost India's ties with the two countries. During the UK visit, the PM shared a picture of him standing alongside the UK PM Keir Starmer, being served a cup of tea by an Indian-origin entrepreneur.
"'Chai Pe Charcha' with PM Keir Starmer at Chequers...brewing stronger India-UK ties!," wrote the PM in the X post.
The photo showcased a man dressed in Indian clothing standing behind a stall whose banner read "Sourced from India, Brewed in London". Additionally, a video of him interacting with the PM shows him wittily saying, 'from one chaiwala to another'. Ever since, the internet has been curious about who he is.
Who is the man serving chai to PM Modi?
Image credits: Instagram/amala_chai
The man is Akhil Patel, an Indian-origin UK-based founder of Amala Chai. According to his LinkedIn profile, Patel studied at the University College School in Hampstead, London and went on to pursue a Bachelor of Science (BSc), Management from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
As a student, he took up many internships before taking up a job as a business and data analyst. It was in 2019 that he started Amala Chai, inspired by his grandma's recipe.
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In his about, he shared the recipe being "real masala chai, brewed with single-origin tea and spices, sourced directly from small family farms in Assam and Kerala."
The British Museum even featured the company in a video sharing a glimpse of how it procures its materials from India in May.
Akhil Patel reacts to interaction with PM Modi
Image credits: Instagram/amala_chai
While Patel did not share anything on his personal social media, he did take to LinkedIn to express his shock and gratitude for the event.
"MODI & STARMER DRANK MY CHAI & I'M ON THE FRONT OF MODI'S INSTAGRAM?!?!" he wrote in a LinkedIn post sharing a video as well.
"Politics aside, this is totally mental? Surreal day being asked to come to Chequers to celebrate the trade deal between the UK & India. Little did I know that Starmer & Modi would come for a cup of chai whilst the whole media were watching," he added.
He also shared a video on the brand's Instagram where PM Modi could be describing chai as the "taste of India", panning to Patel, who described the ingredients of the chai as cardamom, nutmeg and black pepper.
Starmer could be seen sipping the chai and loving it, saying, "Oh, lovely! Yeah, really lovely, nice!"
"Just a casual Thursday serving chai for @narendramodi @keirstarmer ☺️ What a crazy day! Beyond honoured. We'll be sharing the full story with you next week, so keep your eyes peeled!" wrote the founder in the caption.
After six years of journey, Amala Chai is now available at five different locations in London.
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