Meet Dropout Chaiwala, 18-year-old who left college to start his business in Australia; now earns...

Many people dream of earning their degree from prestigious universities and landing a reputable job. Sanjith Konda House, on the other hand, opted a different route to success. In a perfect world, Sanjith Konda House would have been finishing up his Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) at one of the top universities in Australia and applying for a position in the white-collar sector. But when the 22-year-old decided to become a "tea-seller," or "chaiwala," a comfortable corporate job became a distant possibility.

Who is Sanjith Konda aka ‘Dropout Chaiwala’?

Sanjith, who is from Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, travelled to Melbourne to complete his degree in business administration at La Trobe University. However, he made the decision to leave his course and start his first business, Dropout Chaiwala.

He had no idea that Melbourne, which is known for its love of coffee, would also start to enjoy itself on tea and samosas, which would make him millions of dollars (Australian) within a year.  The glow sign 'Dropout Chaiwala' caught the attention of an Indian tourist who had stopped by for a quick second glance.

Sanjith said that when his parents first learned that he had quit school and was planning to start a tea business in the centre of the world's coffee trade, they were taken aback.

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Who served as Dropout Chaiwala's inspiration?

The business claimed on Instagram that the 22-year-old was motivated by his mother's passion for "chai". They had trouble locating homemade chai when she arrived in Melbourne. The idea originated here, according to the post.

The first "Dropout Chaiwala" location was opened on Elizabeth Street by Sanjith, his friend Asar Ahmed Syed, and two college seniors named Preetam Akula and Arun P. Singh with a $25,000 investment at the start. When they first opened, there were only five different types of chai available; however, as word spread among students and office workers, business rose.

After all deductions, the founder estimated revenue to be around $1 million AUD, or Rs. 5.3 crore, and profit to be around 20%.  On the job front, Sanjith continues to import tea from India in an effort to introduce locals to Indian tea. He claims that the "Bombay Cutting" is very popular among Indians and that Australians adore "masala chai" and "pakodas" from India.

Additionally, the business intends to open a second location in Melbourne. Indian students who work part-time jobs to earn extra money along with studies have been hired by Sanjith. They have introduced a green tea and chaipuccino fusion drink (tea's version of a cappuccino) in an effort to draw in more customers.He now plans to finish his degree in social work, a field for which he has a great deal of passion.