Mumbai is a city of contrasts. It is the city that never sleeps, a city of endless opportunities and a city of paradoxes. Home to the ultra-rich as well as the ultra poor, Mumbai’s income inequality is there for all to see – magnificent highrises, swanky bungalows and sea facing apartments can be seen as easily as cramped shanties, squalid slums and one-room homes.

– freepressjournal.in in the recent article about inequality in Mumbai (read)

This picture clicked by photographer Johnny Miller as a part of his “unequal scenes project” and shows BKC and Dharavi side by side. It brings to attention the huge inequality in Mumbai – India’s maximum city, India’s financial capital. “Aamchi Mumbai” – a city we so proudly call home but almost never recognize how privileged we are to live in this beautiful city. Thousands of families move to Mumbai every year in search of jobs, in search of purpose in the city that never sleeps only to realize that Mumbai is not that city of dreams that they thought it would be – at least not for the poor. Instead, it’s a city where the underprivileged are taken advantage of, ignored and looked down upon. 

As a student in one of the best schools in Mumbai which so happens to be located in BKC, where this photo was taken, this photo touched my heart. While we sit in air-conditioned rooms in tall buildings, sitting on a soft couch in front of an expensive television, just 10 minutes down the lane another person is sitting in the sweltering heat on the pavement looking at cars passing by and people walking beside him acting like he didn’t exist. 

Is it that difficult for us to walk down to that person near our house and talk to him? Just bend down and talk. Don’t give him money if you don’t want to, because for that person having someone to talk to is the greatest joy. Tell him that he exists, tell him that he is human too, and tell him that there are people out there to help. Just once a week, when return from school, college, or work, ask him if he needs something. Make him feel a part of society. 

This is the least we can do for our “invisible neighbours”, and I plead at least some of you who are reading this article to do this. We can make a difference, it’s just a matter of taking the initiative.   

– Youg Sanghvi, The ShareMeds Team