The City of Dreams and Efforts

Mumbai is deservedly called the ‘City of Dreams.’ People come to the business capital of India with all sorts of dreams. Most of them never get fulfilled, but people who try with everything they have got often make those dreams a reality. There are millions of stories and people to prove this unique magic of Mumbai. One among them is Arun Joshi, who came to Mumbai in the early 1960s with many dreams but insufficient resources to make them come true. Joshi managed to establish a panipuri stall (a popular Indian street-side food) in one of the corners of the city.

He wisely spent his family inheritance of Rs.60000 to expand his business over a long period. In 2019, the food preneur managed to launch his dream shop. Today, he owns two flats, and his children are well-settled; one of them has migrated to the US.

This is not just the story of Arun Joshi, but many more who have migrated to the city with dreams in their heart and often nothing else. Mumbaikars have their own ‘dabbawalas’ for anyone who needs more inspiration. The Mumbai dabbawalas’ and their business of delivering tiffin boxes date back to 1890 when the Parsi and British communities living in Mumbai were in need of a convenient tiffin delivery service. Presently, around 5,000-odd dabbawalas ferry over 200,000 dabbas daily, constituting one of the inspiring industries.

It’s no wonder Mumbai recently dethroned Beijing as Asia's new billionaire capital. Welcome to our yearly special issue based on the City of Dreams. Do let us know your thoughts.