HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

While BMC’s attempts to identify hawkers to issue them fresh licenses have resulted in a deluge of people lining up the streets posing as vendors, four highly successful businessmen who started off from the footpaths are yet to surrender their hawking licenses.For the four men - Krishna Tamang, owner of China Gate in Bandra and half-a-dozen other eateries, Nagesh Navalgund, owner of Den, a pub in Khar, and garment traders Ramji Patel and Salim Shaikh - the tiny streetside stalls they used to operate continue to remain business ventures. Everyone loves a rags-to-riches story, but the ones in which the hero loves to flaunt his humble beginnings are extra-special. Remember the poor tea seller who went on to become the PM?Tamang, according to the BMC records, still operates a 5ft x 3ft stall off Patwardhan Garden in Khar (W), which dished out chicken manchurian and hakka noodles when his swank Bandra eatery was just his big dream. That he is today the director of China Gate Restaurants Pvt Ltd hasn’t stopped him from taking an active interest in his erstwhile rozi-roti.The stall is now being operated by Tamang’s long-time employee Aneez Beg, who now sells handbags and garments there. “He often visits the stall in the night and takes stock of the day’s sale,” Beg said. A vendor, Sanjay Pathak, who runs a clothes stall nearby, said he worked alongside Tamang for several years. “He used to operate a small Chinese food stall here. He is now a big man but still visits us,” Pathak said. Tamang couldn’t be contacted, and a spokesperson from his restaurant said that he was not in the city.Nagesh Navalgund, whose pub Den on Khar’s 24th Road has hosted many a celebrity, owns a stall on the Linking Road pavement off Meghdoot building (hawking license number 795382007). Navalgund started off selling frankies for a living, and still insists on inspecting the accounts books. “The stall still serves frankies and Nagesh sir remains the owner. He doesn’t visit the stall but we have been asked to submit the accounts to him,” a stall-minder said. Navalgund remained unavailable for comment.Salim Shaikh, who sold footwear on a pavement off Linking Road many years ago before launching his own garment business (he owns a store named Identity Readymade Garments in Khar), is proud of his “family business”. As per the BMC records, Shaikh is still a small-time footwear vendor, but he informed that the business was being looked after by his sister-in-law now.“We are a family of six brothers and the business has been divided. The hawking license and the shops and establishments certificate bear my name, but the business is being handled by my sister-in-law. Our shoe stall is in business since 1984 and is our family business. I diversified into garments business a few years ago,” he said.Like Shaikh, garment trader Ramji Patel started off from a streetside stall off the telephone exchange at Khar-Pali Road a few decades ago. Now, he owns two showrooms – Om Collections and Tilak Enterprises -- in the same area. While Patel refused to comment, his staff confirmed the stall was still operational, and continued to deal in garments.Ironically, the matter came to light courtesy an activist, Hasim Shaikh, who is demanding that the BMC revoke hawking licenses of the four businessmen. “As per the BMC rules, those depending on hawking alone are eligible for such license. These businessmen should now give up hawking licenses so that the needy can avail of these,” Shaikh said. BMC said show cause notices have been issued to those running the stalls in the names of the four businessmen.Hawking license number 795451475 for a small stall on a footpath off Linking Road, Khar (W).Director of China Gate Restaurants Pvt Ltd at G1/2, Blue Nile, 24th Road, Bandra (W) (health license number 887402501)Hawking license number 795382007 for a stall on a footpath off Meghdoot Building on Linking Road.Owner of a pub named Den on 24th Road, Khar (W).Hawking license number 795318800 for a stall on the footpath opposite Union Bank near telephone exchange on Khar-Pali Road.Owner of 2 Khar showroomsHawking license number 795381078 for a stall on a pavement off Linking Road in Khar.Owner of a garment shop