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A shocking story of fortunes amassed at bus stops, train stations, traffic lights, and streets. The sight of beggars in such places often evokes feelings of sadness, as they struggle to buy adequate food and clothing, relying on the kindness of others to survive. However, it may come as a surprise that among them there is a group of people who have amassed fortunes worth crores of rupees.
Who is Bharat Jain?
Bharat Jain, a Mumbai resident, has earned recognition as the world's richest beggar, with an impressive net worth of Rs 7.5 crore. People on the streets of Mumbai generously attribute Jain's substantial earnings of Rs 60,000 to Rs 75,000 per month.
People struggling to meet basic needs usually associate begging with Bharat who begs at prominent places like Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Azad Maidan.
In a surprising twist, he owns a two-bedroom flat worth Rs 1.2 crore and two shops in Thane, bringing in a monthly income of Rs 30,000.
Despite his considerable wealth, he persists in begging, earning a daily income of Rs 2,000-2,500 during his 10-12 hour work shifts. This stark contrast highlights the disparity between Bharat's financial success and the difficulties faced by those who work longer hours to earn a fraction of their daily income.
Bharat Jain, despite his considerable wealth, can still be seen begging on the streets of Mumbai. While many people struggle to earn barely lakhs a day, even after working 12-14 hour shifts, Bharat manages to collect Rs 2,000-2,500 in just 10-12 hours, thanks to the generosity of the people around him.
Surprisingly, Bharat and his family enjoy a comfortable lifestyle and reside in a well-appointed 1BHK duplex residence in Parel. His children attend a prestigious monastic school and other family members run a successful stationery shop. Despite his repeated advice to stop begging, Bharat stands firm and continues his begging activities.
Jain community's richest beggar: Bharat
The Jain community, known for its principles of non-possession and compassion, often claims that there are no beggars within it. However, there is an exception to this belief as Bharat Jain, a member of the Jain community, has become the richest beggar in the world.
Despite the general notion that begging is not prevalent within the Jain community, the Bharat Jain story challenges this perception, highlighting the various circumstances and realities that exist even within a specific community.
According to statistics, Hindus comprise 79.8 percent of the total population of India and account for about 2.68 lakh people classified as beggars, which is 72.22 percent of the country's beggar population. Christians, on the other hand, make up 2.3 percent of the total population, but make up only 0.88 percent of the beggar population. Other religious groups such as Buddhists (0.52 percent), Sikhs (0.45 percent), Jains (0.06 percent) and people belonging to other religions (0.30 percent) also contribute to the beggar population.
Based on 2011 census data, an Indian Express report states that there are 92,760 Muslim beggars in the country, which is a quarter of India's total beggar population of 3.7 lakh.
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