On the eve of India's 77th Independence Day, mid-day.com chronicles the stories of Mumbaikars whose families migrated from undivided India due to the partition, and how they built successful businesses in Mumbai, shaping their lives and the city's culinary landscape
Karnail Singh moved with his father to Mumbai from Delhi to Sion Koliwada, and later started the shop that went on to become Mini Punjab for Mumbaikars. Photo Courtesy: Mini Punjab
As India approached its Independence in 1947, countless families faced the difficult choice between India and Pakistan, a decision that also impacted Jayant Dama's family. Hailing from Sindh in undivided India, the memories of partition remain etched in Dama's memory. He recalls, "Before partition, we had a flour mill in Karachi, which my father and his brothers had to sell at a meagre price due to the ongoing migration." Such stories were common as families sacrificed their possessions to find a new home in post-partition India.