Kid and Dustbin

Clicked in 2011

One Old Man Between Two Oxen

An Eye

Kid, Purple & Green

A Child with Smile on Pile

Old Woman

Vivid Lights: Outside and Inside (1 Picture)

Cobbler - જોડા સાંધનાર - on International Labour Day (1 picture and text)

Name: Naresh Makwana

Election Card: Naresh Jadav

Father’s Name: Rajubhai

Election Card: Mavjibhai, Mavjibhai is Naresh’s uncle

Address: Roadside of Ahram Road, Usmanpura, Ahmedabad, Gujarat

Election Card: Indiranagar, Gandhinagar, Gujarat

Education: 2 standards

                  Naresh is not able to identify any written letter of his mother tongue Gujarati.

Occupation: Cobbling, Ashram Road

Everyday Income: 150 to 200 Rs

Everyday Expense: Lunch and Dinner 80 to 100 Rs

                                 Tea: 3 or 4 times 25 Rs

                                 Breakfast: 20 Rs

                                 Tobacco: 25 to 30 Rs

                                 Others: 10 to 100 Rs

Date of Birth: 1/6/1985

             When Naresh was four, his father Rajubhai had gone to Government office to get birth certificate of Naresh with Naresh and Naresh’s friend Prakash. Government Officer had asked for Naresh's date of birth to Rajubhai, and then Rajubhai had promptly asked Prakash for his date of birth. Prakash had replied: 1/6/1983, then Rajubhai had replied the Government Officer, “date of birth of Naresh is 1/6/1985”; because Prakash is two year older than Naresh.

Naresh lost his mother when he was two or three months, and when he was five year old he let lost his father too. 

Creche-Not Made Beggar (1 Picture and Story)

While I was standing with my friend Jayesh Solanki at a roadside tea stall on Ashram Road in Ahmedabad, a young lady with an infant came up, begging. I looked at her for a moment and then at the infant who was in a little hammock hanging from her shoulder. Upon seeing me he smiled. I touched his cheek.

Within a few minutes I had his mother's permission to take some photos. Her name is Neetaben. She doesn't know exactly her age; it is maybe 21 or 22. Her baby, Akash, is a year old. Her husband, Ajaybhai, is a tree-trimmer. Every day he visits a different neighborhood and offers to trims trees that need it. 

I asked her, “Why are you begging?” She said, “Before the birth of my son Akash, I used to do masonry work. But now I worry as to who would take care of my baby Akash at the worksite.” 

There are laws in India requiring a crèche to be provided at such worksites, but we Indians are not law-abiding. So Neetaben stopped going to work and took up begging to supplement her husband's income. On a good day she gets some 50 or 100 rupees. “Every month, hunger comes into my hut and stays for two or three days.” She said this with no display of emotion. Akash was smiling. Speechless, I touched his cheek again and gave her some money. She took it with a slight smile and went on her way.

Little Innocent Smile from Poverty (1 Picture)

Horizontal Speed, Vertical Food (1 Picture)

Near Social Water and With Traditional Water (1 Picture)