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Brand dabbawala

They may deliver lunch to people but they have management gurus the world over falling over themselves to figure out what keeps these Mumbaikars going, says ANIMA BALAKRISHNAN

PHOTO: K. ANANTHAN

THE REPRESENTATIVES Raghunath D. Medge (left) and Manish Tripathi

"What are the security measures taken in the wake of the recent terrorist attack in Mumbai?," was one question while another query was, "How are you going to retain employees, especially youngsters?"

This was no high profile defence meeting or a closed-door conference of software giants.

Two unassuming dabbawalas from Mumbai — Raghunath D. Medge and Manish Tripathi — were the subject of scrutiny for students across the city recently.

The irony of management biggies of tomorrow taking tips from men who take pride in their "thumbs down" (mostly illiterate) status, was not lost on anyone, least of all the dabbawalas.

The interactive session, between the Mumbai mascots and around 200 students from 11 colleges organised by the School of Management, Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology along with Business Line Club, showed how a traditional system has caught the world's attention.

Mumbai's mascots

If there is a USP for Mumbai beyond Bollywood, it ought to be the dabbawalas.

The concerns about them being a likely terrorist target is in fact an acknowledgement of their visibility and significance in the Mumbai scheme of things.

The unpretentious lot who have been taking home-made lunch to the office-goers for over a century now have come to terms with the curiosity they arouse among the contemporary management crowd.

With Prince Charles as their "brand ambassador", an admirer in tycoon Richard Branson, a six sigma on their efficiency and precision, lectures at the Indian Institute of Managements and Indian School of Business, the dabbawalas are now comfortable with their modern avtaar.

A group that now accepts orders through SMS and has done the promotions for HIV awareness and Kaun Banega Crorepati, gave Coimbatore students a peek into their world through power-point presentations and documentaries.

Their website mydabbawala.com gives an insight into the 5,000 people strong system that makes a transaction of two lakh dabbas with home-made meals in the "war time" between 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. on bicycles and local trains covering a distance of 60-70 kms.

Talking about their website, Manish Tripathi, Director, Information Technology of the Mumbai dabbawala says, "The website can be later used for grocery shopping. Making a database of the dabbawalas is also on the anvil."

Raghunath D. Medge, President, Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Charity Trust, looks back on the journey the dabbawalas have made over the years.

This 36-crore turnover lunch-service, which after research and case studies was found to commit a single error in 16 million deliveries, runs on the simple philosophy of "Work is worship."

"Delivery" by 12.30 p.m. is the dabbawala's aim and he will jump traffic signals and cram into the local train compartments to do just that.

"Even if there is an emergency at home during "war time" I will continue with work, until a substitute is found," says Medge.

Substitutes and team leaders amply support the system, which is said to follow a democratic method of payment, where the net profit is divided equally among the employees.

So, by the time your dabba reaches you, it would have passed many hands and a few trains but it will be at your office dot on time with the aid of the code inscribed on the dabba.

"Many double post-graduates fail to understand our coding system, but it is quite simple to us," chuckles Medge.

"Can the dabbawala saga be repeated in other cities with a sizeable working class?," a few students want to know.

"The dabbawalas are unique to Mumbai with its geography, the long-distance travel and the availability of low cost transport," reveals Tripathi.

"Local trains are our life line," he adds.

So, for the time being it continues to be the privilege of Mumbaikars to get home-made food brought to them for about Rs. 300 a month by "Gandhi-cap" wearing dabbawalas.

"When we were give six sigma, a few dabbawalas asked if it is going to be gold or silver. We were also given an ISO rating and many don't even know what it means," quips Tripathi.

"Sigmas and ISO do not matter to us. Only quality and service do," he concludes.

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