Local trains and the dabbawalla are the two lifelines for the middle class Mumbai office-goer. One gets him to office, the other reaches him his piping hot home food at lunch time. L&T MF carried out a unique investor education campaign by tying up with Mumbai's dabbawallas - to reach out an important message to thousands of salaried Mumbaikars. Kailash takes us through this innovative, high impact initiative.

Food is synonymous with happiness in India. The one thing that is common for every office goer is their "Dabba". Some get it from home while some rely on the local dabbawalas. But everyone likes their food hot and fresh. The dabbawalas have become an integral part of the lives of many Mumbaikars. They are known worldwide for their punctuality and efficiency.

In order to create an awareness about the benefits of the Equity Linked Savings Scheme (ELSS), L&T Mutual Fund came up with an innovative and engaging social activity in association with the Mumbai dabbawalas. An empty stomach leads to a livid mood. Similarly, long lock-in periods and no tax benefits could lead to the dilution of the worth of investments. Drawing a parallel between these two analogies, L&T Mutual Fund tied up with the dabbawals to conduct an interesting activity with the dabbas of the employees who eagerly wait to enjoy their hot and delicious meal. A tag, with the message "Has tax made you lose your appetite?" is tied around the dabba to create a buzz among the office goers. The reverse side of the tag explains the benefits of investing in an ELSS scheme- tax saving and building wealth in the long term.

A dabbawalla tagging the messages to each lunch box

All set to deliver the message in a lunch box

This activity was thought provoking and educative. It brought about awareness amongst the masses on the importance of tax planning and the long-term benefits of ELSS in an engaging manner. On a single day, we had over 50,000 dabbas carrying this message to office-goers in areas like Nariman Point, Churchgate, Lower Parel, BKC, Kalina, Andheri and Malad. 50,000 tax payers across Mumbai got some food for thought, along with their home cooked lunch!

An Investor Education Initiative

The information provided herein is for general information only and does not have regard to specific investment objectives, financial situation and the particular needs of any specific person who may receive this information.

Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks, read all scheme related documents carefully. CL04152

Share this article