Assam Tea Industry Unites for Flood Relief: Over ₹2.26 Crore Raised for CM Relief Fund Through Special Tea Auction

In a united effort to support flood relief in Assam, Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma today unveiled a bust of Maniram Dewan—India’s first tea planter and a martyr of the 1857 Freedom Struggle—at the historic Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC) premises. During the event, the Chief Minister also participated in a special charity tea auction organized jointly by the Tea Association of India (TAI) and the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre to raise funds for the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF).

Organized to uphold the visionary legacy of Martyr Maniram Dewan and support a noble cause, the special auction successfully raised over ₹2.26 crore for flood victims and affected families. A wide variety of premium teas were featured in the auction, including Matcha, Assam Orthodox, Organic, CTC, and special Darjeeling tea.

Among the highlights of the auction:

• Top Bids: Ghiladhari BP tea fetched the highest price of ₹16 lakh, purchased by Society Tea. Jamira BP tea secured the second highest price at ₹13 lakh, bought by Jivraj Tea.
• Special Contribution: Hemant Bangur, former President of the Tea Association of India, contributed five times the highest bid amount—donating ₹65 lakh directly to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
• Auction Total: The auction itself generated ₹1.61 crore, which, along with Hemant Bangur’s contribution of ₹65 lakh, brought the total fund raised to over ₹2.26 crore.
• Additional Donations: Furthering the cause, GTAC donated ₹20 lakh, GTAC Tea Lounge contributed ₹5 lakh, and the Guwahati Tea Buyers Association offered ₹2 lakh directly to the CMRF via cheques handed over to Chief Minister Dr. Sarma.

Expressing his gratitude, Chief Minister Dr. Sarma thanked GTAC, tea buyers, and producers for bringing together Assam’s rich tea heritage and social responsibility. He noted that this marked the return of a special charity tea auction at GTAC after a long hiatus since 2012.

The ceremony was attended by Labour Welfare Minister Rameswar Teli, Chief Secretary Dr. Ravi Kota, Additional Chief Secretaries Dr. J.B. Ekka and Dr. K.K. Dwivedi, Chairman of the Federation of All India Tea Traders Association Paras Desai, President of the Tea Association of India Nayantara Palchoudhuri / Shailaja Mehta, along with other senior government officials and tea industry leaders.