Updated On: 10 August, 2024 04:42 PM IST | Mumbai | Nascimento Pinto
On the eve of India`s 77th Independence Day, mid-day.com chronicles the stories of Mumbaikars whose families migrated from undivided India due to the partition, and how they built successful businesses in Mumbai, shaping their lives and the city`s culinary landscape

Karnail Singh moved with his father to Mumbai from Delhi to Sion Koliwada, and later started the shop that went on to become Mini Punjab for Mumbaikars. Photo Courtesy: Mini Punjab
As India approached its Independence in 1947, countless families faced the difficult choice between India and Pakistan, a decision that also impacted Jayant Dama`s family. Hailing from Sindh in undivided India, the memories of partition remain etched in Dama`s memory. He recalls, "Before partition, we had a flour mill in Karachi, which my father and his brothers had to sell at a meagre price due to the ongoing migration." Such stories were common as families sacrificed their possessions to find a new home in post-partition India.
Every year on August 15, India commemorates its Independence Day, a joyous occasion marred by the painful reality of mass migrations. Communities from undivided India had to decide whether to settle in India or Pakistan, leading to one of the largest mass migrations in history. In the lead-up to the 76th Independence Day, mid-day.com spoke to individuals like Dama to understand how their post-partition businesses shaped their lives today.
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