How a homegrown startup is modernizing tea manufacturing in Assam

Assam’s tea industry is one of the oldest and most recognizable in the world. Yet, behind its global reputation lies a manufacturing process that has barely changed in decades. Most factories still rely on coal and gas, and the technology used to process tea has remained largely unchanged for over 80 years. As conversations around sustainability and clean energy grow louder, the question of how Assam’s tea sector can modernize has become urgent.

It is in this space that Deroi Innovations, founded by Sudarshan Deka and Surjya Prakash Borthakur, has begun to make its mark.

From engineers to tea makers

Surjya trained as an electronics engineer before moving into tea. That technical background stayed with him, and he “developed and designed the machines that manufacture tea”.

After graduation, both partners felt Assam’s tea ecosystem needed change. “The technology that was used in Assam tea manufacturing is outdated,” Surjya explains. “It has been used for more than 80 years.”

Their innovation was to eliminate coal and gas from the process. “We eliminated the most common fuel being used in tea manufacturing, coal or gas, so that it becomes more sustainable,” he says. “We created the technology so as to process tea at a very lower temperature than the industry standard.”

The result is what they call naturally dried tea, expedited using modern technology. “Our entire concept was to build for Indian consumers,” Surjya says. “We give them the best product. We give them clean, ethically manufactured tea.”

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Government support

Sudarshan recalls three crucial interventions from the Assam government. “First was the massive grant we received at a very important phase of our startup journey,” he says.

The second was visibility. “We got selected to represent Assam at IITF in New Delhi.”

And then came global recognition. “Among every startup tea brand, we were one of the three brands selected to represent Assam tea globally at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York last year,” Sudarshan notes.

Celebrity chef Vikas Khanna tasted their tea at that showcase and promoted it on his social media handle, a moment that gave the founders confidence their innovation could stand on the global stage.

Changing the landscape

Surjya outlines their ambition clearly. “We want our technology to be adopted across the landscape of tea manufacturing,” he says.

He points to the current reliance on fossil fuels. “Almost all factories and manufacturers are using coal and gas. We want them to transition into electricity, into cleaner energy.”

Their vision is to change the landscape of tea manufacturing into a sustainable, future‑ready sector.

Building from Assam

For the founders, the mission is inseparable from the place they come from. “We grew up in Assam, and our entire product, entire technology, is focused on creating a better place and ecosystem in Assam,” Surjya says.

That sense of belonging shapes their vision for the future. Apart from wanting Assam’s tea industry to move away from coal and gas, they want local consumers to back local products. “Assam needs her own consumers to back startups,” Surjya says. “Startups in Assam are building great, consumer‑oriented products. I would like to encourage the people of the North East to consume local-made products.”

For Deroi Innovations, the journey is proof that innovation rooted in Assam can speak to the world, and that the future of tea can be both sustainable and proudly local.

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