Chennai, March 22: Super Chennai’s Arattai series featured homegrown entrepreneur Jahabar Sadique, Co-Founder & CEO of Chai Kings, in an engaging and insightful session that brought together aspiring entrepreneurs, students, and city enthusiasts. In a candid conversation, he shared the story behind building one of Chennai’s most recognisable tea brands, along with key lessons from his entrepreneurial journey, challenges faced, and insights into the city’s evolving consumption culture.
Continuing its vision of celebrating the spirit, stories, and changemakers of Chennai, Super Chennai Arattai—an initiative by Super Chennai, a city-wide, citizen-driven branding movement—serves as an interactive platform that connects audiences with individuals shaping the city’s identity. The initiative fosters open dialogue and meaningful engagement, offering a unique opportunity for citizens to interact with leaders across business, culture, sports, and public life.
During the session, Jahabar Sadique reflected on how Chai Kings emerged as a bold idea in a city traditionally defined by its deep-rooted filter coffee culture. He spoke about identifying a gap in the market, building a scalable brand around a simple everyday product, and reimagining tea as a contemporary urban experience. His journey resonated strongly with the audience, particularly young entrepreneurs seeking to build purpose-driven ventures.
Speaking at the event, Jahabar Sadique said, “Chennai has always been a city of strong preferences and deep traditions. Introducing a tea-focused brand here came with its own set of challenges, but also a unique opportunity to innovate. What truly made the difference was understanding the pulse of the people and creating something that felt both familiar and refreshingly new.”
Adding to this, Balaji Sadagopan, Co-Founder & COO, Chai Kings, said, “Platforms like Super Chennai Arattai play an important role in bringing out such stories and connecting people to the spirit of the city. Chennai has embraced Chai Kings in its own distinctive way, and that acceptance means everything to us—it reflects warmth, character, and an openness to new ideas. Entrepreneurship, at its core, is about persistence and belief.”
Addressing the gathering, Ranjeeth Rathod, Managing Director, Super Chennai, said, “With Super Chennai Arattai, we aim to create a platform where real stories of grit, innovation, and success can inspire the community. Jahabar Sadique’s journey is a powerful example of how a simple idea, when executed with clarity and determination, can evolve into a widely loved brand. His story reflects the dynamic entrepreneurial spirit of Chennai.”
The session witnessed active participation, with an interactive Q&A segment that allowed attendees to engage directly with the speakers, making the experience both personal and impactful.
Super Chennai Arattai will continue as a periodic series, with each edition spotlighting individuals whose work contributes meaningfully to Chennai’s cultural, social, and entrepreneurial landscape. With curated interactions and limited seating, the initiative aims to build stronger connections between the city’s changemakers and its citizens.
