The Assam tea campaign began in right earnest in Odisha on Saturday with MP Anubhav Mohanty saying he would promote it in his state.

“I would like to promote this campaign and its underlying message on my social media pages too. Yoga and tea in the morning is the perfect combination for staying healthy. Celebrate life with India tea and yoga,” he said, while flagging off the campaign in Cuttack.

The campaign has been launched by the Tea Board of India in association with the Guwahati Tea Auction Buyers’ Association.

This is the first time that an auction buyers’ association is collaborating for a tea promotion campaign in the country.

The campaign is being launched when the tea season has just started.

The campaign will use mobile vans to promote Assam tea in malls, shopping complexes, housing societies, colleges, railway stations and other public places along specified routes in the cities of Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Puri.

It will culminate in Puri on March 3.

“The campaign aims to generate awareness about quality tea and introduce the people of Odisha to the true taste and flavour of Assam teas, so that its popularity increases,” a Tea Board official said.

Mohanty, the MP from Kendrapara, while flagging of “India Tea” and “Exclusive Assam Tea” campaigns, said the event would definitely attain success and lead to huge consumption of Assam tea, as it was starting in the land of Lord Jagannath.

Mohanty, who is also an actor and television personality, said, “Drinking tea in its purest form is the panacea for several ailments like diabetes, cancer and bad cholesterol. I have been a diabetic since the age of 17 and am 38 now. Had I known this fact about tea earlier, I could have kept diabetes at bay. I urge everyone to stay healthy and refreshed by drinking pure Assam tea, to be a part of this pure single-origin Assam tea campaign. In this respect, social media needs to be judiciously used so that proper and true message gets propagated.”

Tea Board deputy chairman Arun Ray said, “The Assam tea campaign has started in Odisha and, with the blessings of Lord Jagannath, will spread pan-India. Tea, taken without milk and sugar, has tremendous health benefits. Green tea has the maximum antioxidants and should be taken in the morning. A pure cup of Assam tea throughout the day works wonders.”