Kerala’s Class 9 English Syllabus now features chapter on Mumbai’s Dabbawalas
Kerala’s Class 9 English Syllabus now features chapter on Mumbai’s Dabbawalas
Kerala has decided to include the fascinating story of Mumbai’s Dabbawalas in their ninth-grade English textbook, celebrating their legacy with a thorough account of their history and journey.
The chapter, titled ‘The Saga of the Tiffin Carriers,’ was penned by travel writers Hugh and Colleen Gantzer. The Dabbawalas have expressed their appreciation to the state for acknowledging their rich history and dedication.
The Kerala State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has introduced this chapter in its updated 2024 curriculum, which spans five pages.
Over the years, these dabbawalas have become a vital part of Mumbai’s impressive history. Since 1890, a team of 5,000 dabbawalas, dressed in their signature white outfits and Gandhi caps, has been delivering home-cooked meals to around 200,000 people in the city every day. The dabbawala system we recognize today started back in 1890, when Mumbai was still called Bombay and under British colonial rule. There’s a story that goes back to the late 1800s about how this whole system started. A Parsi banker decided to hire a Maratha worker to grab his homemade lunch from his house and bring it to his office, which was about four miles away. The delivery guy, Mahadeo Havaji Bacche recognized this as a chance to offer home-cooked meals to office workers all over Bombay.
“From those humble beginnings, this self-made Indian organization has grown into a vast network whose incredible efficiency has won the admiration of international business schools and even Prince (now King) Charles of England,” reads the ninth syllabus.
Despite facing significant traffic challenges, with an average of 265 vehicles per mile, dabbawalas have maintained their efficiency, delivering approximately 200,000 lunches each day with exceptional accuracy.
The COVID-19 pandemic posed considerable challenges for the dabbawalas due to necessary restrictions.
Their operational model has been extensively studied and is now included in the educational curriculum.
The Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Charitable Trust (NMTBSCT) plays a pivotal role in managing the activities of the Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association (MTBSA).
While attempts have been made to replicate the dabba delivery service in cities like Bengaluru and New Delhi, these initiatives have struggled to achieve the same level of demand and operational scale as the original system.
