Mission Delhi - Doibila, Oxford Cha Bar

Mission Delhi – Doibila, Oxford Cha Bar

One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] That couple over there at the corner table are asking for pasta and something else that The Delhi Walla isn’t able to hear. Waitress Doibila…

Mission Delhi - Rajkumar, A Central Delhi Pavement

Mission Delhi – Rajkumar, A Central Delhi Pavement

One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The Delhi Walla could simply walk past him. That would be easy, too easy. But those badly bandaged toes set me thinking. What’s happened here?…

Mission Delhi – Maria Gkourometsiou, Paharganj

Mission Delhi – Maria Gkourometsiou, Paharganj

One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The Delhi Walla spots her in a café in Paharganj, sitting at a corner table. After a while we fall into conversation — she starts…

Mission Delhi – Mohit Jain, Balbir Nagar Extension

Mission Delhi – Mohit Jain, Balbir Nagar Extension

One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] The neighbours are sniggering. Even his parents sometimes wonder…. Wondering why their grown-up son has crammed so many novels and poetry books into his tiny…

Mission Delhi - Sultana Abdullah, Hazrat Nizamuddin East

Mission Delhi – Sultana Abdullah, Hazrat Nizamuddin East

One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] A 60-year-old, slim beautiful woman with her own apartment in a posh Central Delhi locality is looking for a bookish romantic handsome man to marry….

Mission Delhi - Asha Jain, Anand Lok

Mission Delhi – Asha Jain, Anand Lok

One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] She could be from the fairy tale Rapunzel with that glowing white hair cascading down to her ankles. It’s almost bewitching. What could be the…

Mission Delhi - Surya Lal Maurya, Azadpur

Mission Delhi – Surya Lal Maurya, Azadpur

One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Walk along the Azadpur back lanes in north Delhi at night and you’re bound to run across weary day labourers settling in for some shut-eye….

Mission Delhi - Reshma, Inside a Ghaziabad Apartment

Mission Delhi – Reshma, Inside a Ghaziabad Apartment

One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] Young folks have dreams. Dreaming that someday, somewhere, some sort of career awaits. But at age 18, Reshma is already making a living, working in…

Mission Delhi – Momo, Hazrat Nizamuddin East

Mission Delhi – Momo, Hazrat Nizamuddin East

One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] A moonbeam lent too briefly. Momo, who was born just a few months ago, died recently. The Delhi Walla first saw the kitten in an…

Mission Delhi - Dev Kumar, Near Malai Mandir

Mission Delhi – Dev Kumar, Near Malai Mandir

One of the one percent in 13 million. [Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi] One hot and humid evening The Delhi Walla bumps into him near Malai Mandir, in South Delhi. He is lying sprawled on the grass. His…