With March 20 being celebrated as International Happiness Day, we speak to individuals with high-stressed jobs in the city to know how the city and their work makes them happy
Dhananjay Kulkarni, DCP & Mumbai Police Spokesperson
"The spirit of Mumbai"
“As a police officer, the most basic thing that would make me happy is a significant drop in the crime rate along with appreciation from the citizens for the effort and work done by the police force. What I admire about Mumbai and what makes me extremely happy is the spirit of the city. Even though Mumbai is a huge cosmopolitan city and an intensely busy one at that, if any accident or problem occurs, Mumbaikars step forward to help each other. This kind of spirit makes me happy and thus, makes the city unique.”
Dr. Sangita Hasnale, Assistant Municipal Commissioner, P/North ward
"A city that treats women and men equally"
“I have been born and brought up in Mumbai and lived here since my childhood days. This city makes me happy every single day. Mumbai is my janmabhoomi and my karmabhoomi; so simply living here is a matter of happiness for me. As a woman, I think that this is a safe city, which treats women and men equally. As a working woman, I feel the city makes life easier with provision of domestic help and making everything available at one’s doorstep; which in turn makes me a happy soul. Also, I'm glad to see that the city is becoming cleaner and greener.”
Milind Bharambe, Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic Department
"Happiness is an attitude"
“I feel happiness is an attitude and I feel we should be happy with whatever we have, and not let negative comments made by others affect our happiness. Since I'm with the traffic department, people come to me with their complaints and when I get to serve them, I feel happy. Though my work, overall, makes me happy as I get to serve Mumbaikars, when I'm able to listen to people’s grievances and work out a solution, it makes me extra happy. Granting leaves to junior officers is something that I do leniently as I feel it will make them less stressed and give immense happiness.”
DCP M Ramkumar, Mumbai Police, Zone XII
"Mumbai makes everyone feel welcome"
“I feel that Mumbai makes everyone feel welcome, be it anyone from anywhere. It’s such a big cosmopolitan city that everything and anything under the sun is available here, be it food or any other necessity. Since ethnically, I am a South Indian, I always crave for food, spices and other ingredients that are native to my hometown. But all of this is available in the city at so many places, and this makes me happy.”
Devidas Kshirsagar, Assistant Municipal Commissioner, D ward
"The diligent work of my officers"
“When someone comes with a problem, especially someone who is poor; and when I am able to resolve the issue, I feel extremely happy. Since I have the authority to get the work done, I feel satisfaction in speeding up the process to help people who are facing civic issues affecting their lives greatly. When it comes to the city, I feel that Mumbai has become relatively cleaner over the years , which makes me smile every time I see a clean street, especially in my ward, as I know it is due to the diligent work put in by my officers.”
Pursuit of happiness
Speaking at the High Level Meeting on 'Happiness and Well-Being: Defining a New Economic Paradigm' UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stated that "Social, economic and environmental well-being are indivisible. Together they define gross global happiness."
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 "International Happiness Day")
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