New Delhi: He may not have made much black tea at the Congress party headquarters over the past 15 years but Bahadur Singh recalls a time when he churned out cups of the brew for late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Singh, the peon attached to the former prime minister, had to prepare black tea every day since the leader liked it the most, he reminisced as the country observed the 62nd birth anniversary of late Rajiv on Sunday.
"He drank both milk tea and black tea. But his favourite was black tea. He used to take three cups of tea a day," Singh said.
Singh, who hails from Nepal, left his village in 1951 and came to Delhi. He was picked up from the roadside by Jawaharlal Nehru, who saw him crying helplessly, Singh claimed.
"From 1951 to 1964, I worked in Teen Murti House where Nehru stayed. From 1964, I worked as a peon in the Congress party headquarters at seven, Safdarjung Road. I served tea to Nehruji, Indiraji, Sanjayji, Rajivji and Soniaji," he said.
Singh, who is illiterate, started with a salary of Rs 5 a month. When the party office moved from Safdarjung Road to 24, Akbar Road, Singh came along. He now works as a personal peon to Congress leader Motilal Vora.
Going down memory lane, Singh said Nehru drank three cups of tea a day, while Indira Gandhi was not very fond of tea.
"Indiraji liked milk and bananas the most. She drank little tea. But Soniaji used to take normal tea," he said.
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