What is Paanwala

The focus of this chapter is on the ingenious transformation of the Indian betel leaf vendor (paanwala)'s business. The “paanwala” who used to concentrate on the sale of betel leaf (paan) only has begun to engage in a diversified street vending. In fact, the sale of the “paan” itself has now been relegated to the background in favor of more modern and sophisticated items. This chapter reports on a study conducted among 174 betel leaf sellers in Pune. The findings of the study revealed that 80% of the sellers were aged between 18 and 45years. They have diversified the items in their boxes to include tobacco products and other modern confectioneries. Although the “paanwalas” stated that they were making fairly good livelihood out of their work, they continue to face such difficulties as harassment from local authorities and denial of right of ownership of property. It is recommended that a partnership between the “paanwalas” and the companies would assist in promoting innovation among the paanwalas.