Samler sold the plantation to Girish Chandra Banerjee, who ran a commissary and mail services in Kurseong.

The tea factory at Makaibari was the first in Darjeeling district, commissioned in 1859 and closed in 1933.

Since the 1970s, Makaibari was led by the fourth generation planter and researcher, Swaraj Kumar Banerjee.

The Luxmi group owns 25 tea estates in Assam, Darjeeling, Rwanda and North Bengal.

[5] In 2017, Swaraj Kumar Banerjee finally left Makaibari handing over reigns of the tea estate to Rudra Chatterjee, 30 years his junior.

[6] In 2018, Swaraj Kumar Banerjee announced that he will gift his 12% shares in the Makaibari Tea and Trading Company, which he retained after he sold majority of his stake to the Kolkata-based Luxmi Group, to the workers.

[4] Located at an altitude of 1,500 m (4,900 ft) above sea level, the estate covers six ridges.

In 2014 a special lot of handcrafted second flush tea from Makaibari fetched $1,850 (Rs.

[8] Makaibari has organised 'home stay' arrangement in the villages around the tea estate.

Comfortable accommodation and food is provided, plus the tourists (foreigner and Indian) not only get to know the tea garden, but also the life-style of the villagers.