Mumbai's dabbawallahs to learn spoken English

Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU) has launched a special course of English speaking and computer skills for the 5000 dabbawallahs of Mumbai.

"For last 120 years dabbawallahs (lunchbox deliverymen) of Mumbai have been feeding the working community of the capital but never got an opportunity to take higher education and improve their lot," YCMOU vice chancellor Dr R Krishnakumar said.

"Now YCMOU has decided to take them up to graduation soon and one day the dabbawallah will be able to tell you where your tiffin box is at a given moment through object-tracking skill," Krishnakumar said.

Their classes will be conducted on Sundays at the dabbawallahs' office at Dadar, YCMOU office at Gtrant Road and Agrawal Management Institute at Vikroli, the vice-chancellor said.

Speaking on behalf of the dabbawallahs, Gangaram Talekar said they had got an opportunity after 120 years and won't let it go it.

He also promised the vice-chancellor to speak to him in English in their next meeting at a meeting held at Vikhroli.

Although most of workers in that team of 5000 dabbawallahs are illiterate or school drop outs, it was lauded with Six Sigma accuracy of 99.99% by Forbes magazine in January this year.