Patel Ashok Vasant

You can find me, Ashok Vasant Patel, over at the Laxmi Industrial Estate in Padra. My unit is number 30. Being in an industrial estate means there is always a lot of noise—trucks moving, machines running in the distance, and people shouting to be heard over the din. It’s not the quietest place to spend a day, but it’s where the work happens. Unit 30 is a solid space with high ceilings and concrete floors. I’ve got my basic setup there and it serves its purpose. Gandhi Nagar is just a stone's throw away, so there’s always a bit of movement around the estate gates. I usually arrive before the sun gets too hot because Padra can get quite warm in the afternoons. Inside the unit, it stays a bit cooler. I handle all sorts of daily tasks, mostly physical stuff that requires being on my feet. I don't have a computer on every desk or a fancy coffee machine. Just a kettle and some cups for when a friend or a regular visitor stops by. It’s a very grounded way to earn a living. The estate has been here for years and most of us who have units here know each other by sight if not by name. We all just focus on getting our respective jobs done and heading home when the sun goes down.