Just like the local trains, Mumbai's iconic Dabbawalas are rightly known as one of the lifelines of Maximum City. On November 30, the Mumbai Dabbawala Association celebrated its 130th birthday at Bandra's Dabbawala Bhawan.

The event celebrated the dedication and consistency with which the Dabbawalas deliver food to Mumbaikars. The Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, was also present at the event to honour the Dabbawala's legacy.

It all started in 1890 for the Dabbawalas with around a hundred men, dressed in their signature pure white outfit. Today, Dabbawalas have a team of up to 5,000 people, who bring home-cooked food to nearly 200,000 Mumbaikars, all across the metropolis.

What makes Mumbai's Dabbawalas stand out as a delivery service is their astonishing efficiency rate of 99.9%. In 2002, Forbes magazine recognized the Dabbawalas at the Six Sigma Level for their amazing success rate.

Over decades, this iconic delivery partner of Mumbaikars has reinvented itself while managing to keep together a tight-knit group of dedicated professionals. With 130 years of service already in the bag, Mumbai's Dabbawalas are now looking forward to many more as they continue to feed the City of Dreams.