What is the first thing that hits your mind when you hear the word “beggar”? A poor fellow who needs our support to survive, living in poverty, facing financial instability, wearing worn-torn attire, and having unkempt hair. But, do you know some beggars living in India have a net worth in crores, flats in top cities, and their children study in prestigious schools? Their story has been covered by multiple media organizations – India Times, The Economic Times, India Today, Hindustan Times, as well as in international organizations – Colombo Times, Black Enterprise, and UNILAD. In this blog, we will explore the journey of these beggars, and know how they built their empires and became the richest beggars in India.
1. Bharat Jain
Bharat Jain is one of the top richest beggars in India who has made ₹7.5 crore ($1 million). He has been begging since he was a teenager. Today, he is a 54-year-old man who lives in Mumbai, the financial capital of India. He begs at prominent locations in Mumbai Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) or Azad Maidan, where he earns ₹2,000 to ₹2,500 per day.
Despite his humble appearance and occupation, Jain is a wealthy man who owns valuable property in Mumbai, has 2 BHK flats in Parel worth 1.2 crore, have two shops in Thane, which he rents out for ₹30,000 per month. Apart from this, he has rented out a shop to a juice center and collects monthly rent of ₹10,000.
Jain’s family is unhappy with his habit of begging and often advises him to stop and support their business of study materials and school notebooks. But he ignores them and says he enjoys begging and does not want to abandon his lifestyle.
2. Laxmi Das
Laxmi Das is one of the second richest beggars in India and has a net worth of ₹1 crore. She started begging from a very young age in Kolkata and now it’s been 50 years since she has been begging. Das was suffering from polio deficiency in her eyes. Many people felt pity for her and started donating just to show sympathy. Her monthly income is more than ₹35,000.
3. Krishna Kumar Gite
Krishna Kumar Gite is one of the third richest beggars in India. He has a room in Nalla Sopara which costs around 7 lakh where he lives with his brother. On average, he earns ₹1,500 a day. He stays away from the money matters though, his brother manages his finances.
4. Burju Chandra Azad
Burju Chandra Azad, who belongs to the well-known Bollywood city Mumbai, is one of the fourth richest beggars in India. His high-income earning was revealed when he was begging at the railway station and was killed accidentally by the train. Policemen investigated his home in Govandi and found 1.5 lakh rupees in cash and a fixed deposit of ₹ 8.77 lakhs in his name.
5. Pappu Kumar
Pappu Kumar is one of the fifth richest beggars in India. According to some reports, he has a net worth of ₹1.25 crores. Unfortunately, Pappu had an accident where he fractured his legs. Since then, he started begging at Patna’s railway stations. Pappu has four bank accounts and also lends money to small traders.
6. Malana Khan
Malana Khan is one of the most talented and richest beggars in India. He is probably the swankiest beggar you’ll ever see. For begging he used to travel in his autorickshaw and his timing is from 8 am to 9 pm. Malana’s targeted area is just near a 5-star hotel where celebrities and rich people arrive. According to some reports, he owns a property of ₹40 Lakh and earns around 2500 daily.
7. Sarvatiya Devi
Sarvatiya Devi is an old lady who belongs to nearby Patna and begs in the Patna Junction. She is a long-term thinker and has invested ₹36,000 in a life insurance plan so that she doesn’t need to depend on anyone when she won’t be able to beg. On average, Sarvatiya earns ₹50,000 each month.
Conclusion
It is hard to believe that there are topmost richest beggars in India earning more than a middle-class person. The wealth of these beggars challenges our conventional perception of poverty and success. They even sometimes lend money to business persons and have made this field of begging a professional source of earning. People who know these facts are in a state of shock to hear the monthly income of these beggars. Today, business persons are left far behind in how frequently these beggars make money.
