A salute to the spirit of Mumbai

My heart goes out to the people who lost their lives on those trains. I am glad that the people who live along the railway tracks were the first to react to the tragedy. They are the ones who created a direct conduit between the people who needed medical help and the hospitals who could provide them. I am grateful to the taxicabs who instantly turned themselves into ambulances and hearses to transport those in need.

They have been the first line of defence for all rescue activities in the city, every time the city needed them. These are the people who make up the cities of India. They are the ones who constitute the meaningful arm of society. These are people who are absolutely selfless, and eager to be of service to anybody who needs assistance.

Here are the people who make up the fabric of this great nation. These are the people who make this country different from others. They don’t complain about their circumstances, as miserable as they are. They only give of themselves when the need arrives, to whoever needs help. And they are as organized as the best armies of the world.

Mumbai has never given terrorism the time of day. The city will be back to work in the morning. We will count our dead and mourn them, but no quarter will be given to those who think they can intimidate us. I live in a city that I can be proud of. And the world can learn from us.

I will be back to work tomorrow, like the rest of Mumbai. I will freely give my time to whoever needs it. All proceeds from whatever I can raise in the next few days will go to the people who lost their lives. This is the least I can do to return to the city that has given me so much. Otherwise I do not think I would be worthy of the public adoration that I have received.