Chaiwalas, as an entrepreneurial group, tend to move from different regions of India to run their small business in major cities.

They usually serve tea in a small glasses or unglazed clay teacups (kulhar) but have started to use plastic cups.

In the 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire, the lead character, Jamal Malik (played by Dev Patel), is a chaiwala in an Indian call center.

In the UK TV sitcom It ain’t half hot mum Dino Shafeek plays the chai wallah Muhammad.

At the end of the credits, he starts to sing "Land of Hope and Glory" only to be interrupted by the Sergeant Major shouting "SHUT UP!!!".