Balmer Lawrie & Co Ltd

Out here at Ballard Estate, the buildings have a lot of history. We are at 5, J.N. Heredia Marg, which is one of those classic old Mumbai spots with high ceilings and thick walls. Balmer Lawrie has been around for ages, and this office feels like it. There’s a certain weight to the air here, with all the old wooden furniture and the stacks of ledgers that seem to have been there forever. We don't have the modern open-plan offices you see in the suburbs. It’s more traditional, with cabins and heavy doors. The area outside is beautiful in its own way, with the old stone architecture, though it gets incredibly crowded during the work week. We deal with a lot of different business segments, so the phone is always ringing with someone asking about logistics or grease or travel. It’s a bit of a maze inside, and new people often get lost trying to find the right department. We have a routine that hasn't changed much in years. We come in, do the paperwork, have our lunch, and watch the shadows move across the old streets outside. It’s a steady kind of life. We aren't chasing the latest trends; we’re just maintaining what’s been built over a very long time. It’s a solid place to be, right in the heart of old Bombay.