Explore the 133-year-old journey of Mumbai’s dabbawalas and the inner workings of one of the most trusted and efficient delivery services
(From left) Vijay Pangare and Kiran Gavande in a moment from the podcast
In a recent episode of Vitamin Be with Mohana, the host invites Mumbai’s iconic dabbawalas for their first-ever video podcast. It features Kiran Gavande, secretary of the organisation, and Vijay Pangare, administration lead and second-generation member of the community. The duo shares fascinating insights into their work, traditions, and the impressive 133-year-old system that powers one of Mumbai’s most trusted services. The episode opens with a tribute to founder Mahadeo Havaji Bachche, whose initiative has grown into a massive operation. Today, the dabbawalas run a meticulously timed system, collecting tiffins latest between 9 to
10.30 am, travelling and sorting by 12 pm, and again, delivering them before 1 pm.
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The podcast delves into the logistics of their operation with the guests explaining how their alpha-numeric coding system ensures each dabba reaches its destination. Pre-COVID 19, nearly 5,000 dabbawalas managed deliveries, but despite the pandemic, 2,500 dabbawalas continue to deliver one lakh tiffins daily. The podcast delves into their values of punctuality, discipline, and servitude which drive them stemming from their belief that serving people is akin to serving God. Gavande and Pangare highlight the trust they’ve built over generations, with customers even sending salaries or personal items in dabbas. They reflect on their global recognition, including receiving the prestigious Six Sigma certification for their efficiency. Despite their fame, their humility and dedication remain intact, as reflected in their meeting with Prince (now King) Charles of Great Britain on a Churchgate footpath in 2004, planned meticulously to ensure there was no disruption in deliveries. They recall the disruption in their services that was caused by the pandemic forcing them to halt deliveries for two years and how people and organisations came together to help them in times of crisis.
Mohana MD. Pics Courtesy/Youtube
The episode provides a brief overview of their future plans of launching an app and a central kitchen that provides homely meals, and expanding their services to include grocery and medicine delivery, using the dabbawalas. They answer the host’s query about competition from online delivery platforms, and emphasise that their service remains low-cost, reliable, and eco-friendly using methods such as bicycles and public transport as compared to the competition. The podcast concludes with a heartfelt message; here, Gavande makes an appeal to listeners to continue placing their trust in them as they embark on new initiatives. Just as they have for generations, they aim to serve Mumbaikars, striving to improve their services.
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