Journalists Honour 75-Year-Old Chaiwala Baban Kemkar For Four Decades Of Service

On his 75th birthday, the Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh hall hosted a felicitation ceremony for Kemkar. The event was attended by senior journalists, former Rajya Sabha MP Kumar Ketkar, former MLC Kapil Patil, and theatre personalities Nana Patekar and Prashant Damle, who were once regulars at his stall.

Legacy Of The Tea Stall

Kemkar’s stall outside Dadar station was a nightly hub for journalists returning after their editions went to press. His tea was renowned not just for its taste but for the warmth and conversations it inspired. Senior journalist Ambarish Mishra described his tea-making as “akin to watching a Russian ballerina perform,” adding that “even the high tea at Buckingham Palace would have been no match for Baban’s tea.”

Emotional Response

Overwhelmed by the honour, Kemkar said the journalists were more than customers they were family. His stall remains etched in memory as a cultural landmark for Mumbai’s press community.

Key highlights

• Baban Kemkar, 75, honoured by journalists in Mumbai
• Ran tea stall outside Dadar station for 40 years
• Regulars included Nana Patekar, Prashant Damle, senior journalists
• Event attended by Kumar Ketkar, Kapil Patil, Ambarish Mishra
• Kemkar remembered as friend, family, and cultural icon

Sources: PTI reports, Devdiscourse coverage