Lic

Our spot is in the Siddiqui Mansion, which is at 161 10 B in New Delhi. If you know Delhi, you know how packed and lively it can be around these old mansions. It is not a modern skyscraper, but it has a lot of character and plenty of stairs. We have a small office here where we handle everything for LIC. The room is usually a bit cramped because we have so many boxes of old records and files that we aren't allowed to throw away yet. There is a small window that looks out onto the street, and I spend a lot of time watching the rickshaws and people dodging the puddles when it rains. It is noisy and the walls could probably use a fresh coat of paint, but it feels like home now. We don't have a receptionist, so when someone knocks, I just shout for them to come in. Most of the people who visit are regulars from the neighborhood who have been coming to us for years. We sit on the old plastic chairs and go over their papers. Sometimes we spend more time talking about the weather or the local news than the actual work. Delhi is a fast city, but inside this office, things move at a bit of a slower pace. I usually have a pot of tea going on a small heater in the corner. It’s just a simple, practical place to get the day's work done.