Beggars have been an integral part of human civilization throughout the history. Although most people consider begging as the last option to support their survival, there are some who have made a business out of it. There are gangs operating out there who employ, hire and exploit slum dwellers. egging has been industrialized and is being operated by goons. It has been estimated to be a 200 crore industry in India. There are some beggars in our very own country who are richer than most of the people they beg from. Here is a countdown of India’s 5 richest beggars:
5. Laxmi Das
Retired beggar Lakshmi Das from Kolkata owns a Bank account. According to the bank that counted the 100-odd-kg of coins which she had saved over four decades for her retirement, Lakshmi is richer than it looks. Her story went viral after a number of print and electronic media houses covered it. The media attention changed her life for good as more and more people have come forward since then to contribute to her kitty. A senior Central Bank official confirmed receiving emails from foreigners wanting to help her.
4. Sambhaji kale
Sambhaji Kale is another posh beggar who operates in khar, Mumbai. He started begging to support his family of four and at present his running monthly income is around 40-45k per month. He owns a flats in Virar apart from two houses in Solapur. He too has a bank account with a hefty bank balance.
3. Sarvatiya Devi
Sarvatiya Devi owns a well-built house at a posh location in Patna, Bihar. Apart from this, she boasts of two insurance policies for which she pays Rs 36,000 as premium annually and also has a bank account with a hefty amount to boot. Sarvatiya started begging 25 years ago when her husband passed away and has remained in the profession ever since. Interestingly, she has travelled around the country and also been to pilgrimage.
2. Krishna Kumar Gite
Another affluent beggar from Mumbai, India, Krishna Kumar Gite is the owner of property worth lakhs. The 42-year old beggar can often be spotted operating near Chami Road, CP Tank. He earns around Rs1500 a day and owns a flat in Nallasopara.
1.Bharat Jain
49-year old Bharat Jain invariably gets the top position on our countdown. Bharat operates near Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Aazad Maidan and has earns around 60,000 INR per month. He owns two flats worth 70 lakhs in Parel, Mumbai. Apart from this, Bharat owns a shop which he has put on rent.
So, next time you find a beggar at a signal, don’t ignore them. They might be wealthier than you.