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From Coding to Chai: An IITKGP Alum’s Reinvention in Los Angeles
For many IIT Kharagpur graduates, the path after campus leads to global careers in technology. For Prabhakar Prasad, that journey took an unexpected turn, one that is now inspiring alumni across the world.
After building a career in the U.S. tech sector, Prabhakar was impacted by the wave of layoffs in 2025. Instead of returning to corporate life, he chose a different path, one rooted in memory and meaning. Drawing on his upbringing in Bihar, he began serving masala chai and simple Indian snacks at farmers’ markets in Los Angeles.
Today, known as the “Bihari Chaiwala of LA,” he has built a loyal following, offering not just tea but an experience that blends culture, nostalgia, and connection.
For IITKGP alumni, his story feels especially familiar. For generations of students, chai has been at the heart of campus life. Iconic spots like Chedi’s and Thomas have long been gathering places where friendships were formed, ideas exchanged, and memories made. In many ways, Prabhakar’s venture carries that same spirit, recreating a sense of belonging far from campus.
Through his growing social media presence and daily interactions with customers, he has transformed a simple chai stall into a symbol of resilience and reinvention.
His journey is a reminder that the IIT experience is not just about career paths, it is about the courage to adapt, to take risks, and to create something meaningful, wherever life leads.
Sometimes, all it takes is a cup of chai to begin again.
We’d love to hear from you: share your memories of chai on campus and the moments that still warm your heart today!
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The IITKGP Foundation