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For people from South Asia, mornings are often powered by chai

NPR | By Diaa Hadid

Published August 23, 2026 at 8:39 AM EDT

NPR investigates South Asia's love of one particular hot breakfast beverage and reveals its surprising origin.

Diaa Hadid

Diaa Hadid has covered South Asia and Afghanistan from NPR's bureau in Mumbai since October 2023. She previously spent 6 years in NPR's Islamabad bureau, where she covered Pakistan and Afghanistan. Her favorite stories are about people and moments that capture the complexity of the places she covers.

See stories by Diaa Hadid