Mumbai: Dabbawalas, auto drivers walk the ramp

The event was held at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Goregaon.

In a first for dabbawalas and autorickshaw drivers across the city, eight of them walked the ramp, turning models for the students of Pearl Academy. The event, held at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Goregaon, was planned and designed by the students, and was attended by fashion designer Manish Malhotra and adman Prahlad Kakkar.

“We have been delivering dabbas for decades. We have been part of many activities in the past, but walking the stage is a new experience for us,” said Vitthal Gaikwad (39), a dabbawala. The idea was conceptualised and executed by the organising team and was not the work of a single individual, according to Nandita Abraham, the CEO of the institution. “We decided to pay them homage. Initially, they were shy, but came onboard once we explained the entire concept to them.”

Trisha Bangui (20) was one of the designers of the entire ensemble. “We didn’t want to deviate too much from their uniforms, but wanted to make it fashionable and functional. The dabbawalas’ tiffins were brightly coloured to reflect the spirit of the city,” said Bangui.

While walking the ramp, these “models” seemed unfazed by the lights and the glamour around them. Sanjay Phardare (45), an autorickshaw driver, was confidence personified on the ramp. “We had only a couple of trials, but I was pretty confident. We meet dozens of people each day,this is just like a bigger shared autorickshaw. I felt comfortable,” he said.