The world-famous ‘Dabbawalas’ of Mumbai are becoming part of Class 9 English textbooks in Kerala this year. The Kerala State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has included an article penned by travel writer couple Hugh and Colleen Gantzer, in its schools curriculum.

The chapter on ‘dabbawalas’ recounts the story of the origin of the first ‘dabba’ (tiffin box) that was carried from Dadar to South Mumbai’s Fort area, covering nearly 12 km away.

As per Raghunath Medge, the ex-president of Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Charitable Trust (NMTBSCT), the first box was supplied in 1890 and the first customer was a Parsi lady who hired Mahdeo Havaji Bachche to deliver a hot tiffin box to her husband at his office downtown. The Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association (MTBSA) works under the NMTBSCT.

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From this initiative, the ‘dabbawalas’ grew and prospered and before the Covid-19 pandemic was supplying over 2,00,000 dabbas. The dabba service is admired in Mumbai and all over the world for its punctual service that is ranked equivalent to a Six Sigma Rating.

From the Mumbai Streets and railways, the famous Mumbai ‘Dabbawalas’ have travelled to International business schools, global universities, feature films,documentaries, books and earned visits from royals and dignitaries.

The trade suffered massively during the Covid pandemic reducing the numbers to around 2,000 and a daily average 1,00,000 tiffin supplies. The market has emerged in new centres in the Mumbai Central region, including Worli, Dadar, Bandra Kurla Complex, MIDC, Marol, Ghatkopar, Malad and other places.