Pushing further the demand to declare tea as the national drink of India, Assam on Tuesday declared that the beverage would be accorded state drink status.

The demand for making tea the national drink was pitched at the inaugural session of the World Tea Science Congress, which got underway at the Tocklai Experimental Centre here today.

Former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam said, ”If we call tea the national drink, it will be no exaggeration.”