Society Of Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering & Research

Getting to our place in Kurla can be a bit of a trip if you aren't used to Mumbai hills. We are at Hill No 3 in Kamani, right at Jai Durga Chawl. It is a very lived-in area, lots of families and small shops all tucked together. The name of the place, Society Of Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering & Research, sounds like it belongs in a big glass skyscraper, but we are right here in the middle of the community. It gets very loud during the festivals, especially with the music from the streets. During the monsoon, the climb up the hill gets a bit slippery, so you have to watch your step. We spend most of our time inside working on the technical stuff, which can be quite quiet compared to the noise outside. It is an interesting mix of high-level science and just regular chawl life. Most of the people working here have their favorite tea stall just down the road. We don't have a big reception desk or anything like that. If you come by, you just walk in and someone will probably be busy with some equipment or some papers. It is a bit cramped sometimes with all the tools and parts lying around, but we know where everything is. It feels more like a workshop than a cold office, which is fine by us. The address might look long, but once you reach Kamani, it is not too hard to find.