India was one of the earliest places where sugarcane was cultivated and refined into crystals. The Sanskrit word for sugar was “sharkara”, meaning gravel or ground substance
By the 7th century CE, India’s sugar-making knowledge had spread to China. The Chinese adopted the techniques and refined sugar further into white crystal form.
As Chinese sugar made its way back to India via traders, it was often called “Cheeni”, derived from “Cheen” (China). Over time, “cheeni” became synonymous with refined sugar
With the rise of trade empires and colonialism, sugar became a global commodity. The Portuguese and British expanded sugar production fueling slavery and plantations in the Caribbean
From Sanskrit sharkara to Arabic sukkar, then Old French sucre and finally English sugar Each culture left a linguistic trace in sugar’s evolution
Despite the English word "sugar" being widespread, Indians still say “cheeni” because of its historical and cultural roots. It reflects both ancient Indian origins and Chinese refinement