Ali International

Our office is over at No. 18 Nazir Building on Calicut Street. If you’ve ever been to Ballard Estate, you know the buildings have that old, heavy feel to them. Ali International operates out of one of these high-ceilinged rooms that has probably seen a lot of history. The streets around here are wide and usually full of trucks or people working near the docks. It’s a very different vibe from the rest of Mumbai. We spend our days dealing with international trade, which means a lot of calls and tracking things on the computer. The office isn't modern or sleek. We have heavy wooden desks and old files stacked up because that’s just how we’ve always done it. Sometimes the elevators in these old buildings act up, so we end up taking the stairs. It’s just part of being in this part of town. We don't have a big sign outside or anything. People who need to find us usually know the way. The neighborhood gets very quiet on the weekends, which is a nice break from the weekday rush. We mostly stay focused on our logistics and paperwork. There isn’t much drama here. We just come in, do the work, and head home. It’s a solid place to run a business from, and the history of the area makes it feel like we are part of something that’s been going on for a long time.