Padmashree International

Our office is right above the HDFC Bank in Malka Ganj. It’s a bungalow, which is a bit different from the usual office buildings you see around Delhi. You have to walk up the stairs and sometimes it’s a bit dark in the hallway. We have been at this A-Bungalow address for quite a bit. Inside, it’s mostly just desks and a lot of paper. We handle a lot of international stuff, so the phones are always ringing at odd hours. Sometimes we are talking to people halfway across the world while the local market outside is just waking up. The traffic on the road below is constant. You can hear the horns all day long. We keep the windows shut to try and block some of it out. It’s a small team here. We make our own tea and usually eat lunch together at the big table in the back. There isn’t any fancy decor or expensive furniture. It’s just a place to get work done. Dealing with shipping and documents takes up most of our energy. We have to be careful with the details or things get stuck at the port. Sometimes we stay late when there is a big order to finish. It’s just how it goes in this business. We don’t mind the long hours as long as the work is steady.