You’ve heard of the gun-toting sheriffs of the Wild West but did you know the city of Mumbai has a sheriff too? This largely ceremonial post which has been held by such famous names as Sunil Dutt, Dilip Kumar, Vijyapat Singhania, Sunil Gavaskar and Nana Chudasama, is for the first time in its history being held by a woman – Dr. Indu Shahani, the Dean of HR College of Commerce and Economics in Mumbai.
“I’m the 110th sheriff, and this is the first time they’ve appointed a teacher in service,” says Shahani who is now in her second term as sheriff. “It’s an honor not only to me but to the thousands of teachers in Mumbai who are making a difference in the lives of students.” She was recently in New York to initiate a student exchange with the Stern School of Business of New York University, with over 40 students from Mumbai coming in, 20 of them on scholarships. NYU students will be traveling to Mumbai later this year.
Innovative and articulate, as Sheriff she could be called Quick Draw Shahani because she’s using the influential post to make a difference in the quality of life in Mumbai and bring about social responsibility. She’s created opportunities in education, as well as made the security of women a top priority, setting up the Women’s Helpline 1298 where calls get connected to one of Mumbai’s 75 women’s NGO’s.
Shahani also set up the Sheriff Brigade with hundreds of college students enrolled, where young people volunteer for voter registration, serve as marshals, and set up the Clean Mumbai campaign. She’s even drawn the Domino Pizza delivery boys into civic duties: since they are ubiquitous all over Mumbai, Shahani arranged for them to be enrolled in first responder workshops with the paramedics from ambulances.
“When we had 26/11, people didn’t know very simple things about helping people and first aid is something everyone on the road should know,” she says. “Recently 40 pizza delivery boys got their certification so now you will have pizza delivery boys who can also give you first aid! So the role of the sheriff is that of catalyst – people are doing wonderful things but we have to bring them together.”
Even the declining sparrow population of Mumbai hasn’t been forgotten: with traffic and pollution, the sparrows have been disappearing from the city’s concrete jungle. One of the ordinary citizens she met through her new post suggested that they start sparrow shelters in schools and buildings to nurture the birds. So now, in the big bustling city they actually have a space for the most vulnerable – the sparrows.
