Why did Parag Shah, Man Infra CEO and Mumbai BJP MLA worth Rs 3,000 crore become a beggar at Ghatkopar?

Maharashtra BJP MLA Parag Shah, one of the state’s wealthiest legislators and a prominent real estate businessman, recently gave up his usual security detail, cars and expensive belongings to spend several hours dressed as a beggar on the streets of Ghatkopar in Mumbai. Shah said the experience gave him a different perspective on respect, wealth and the “reality of life”.

The unusual act drew attention after a video of the Ghatkopar East MLA in beggar’s attire surfaced on social media. Shah had undergone makeup to conceal his identity before taking to the streets and seeking alms from people.

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Who is Parag Shah, the BJP MLA who dressed as a beggar?

Shah is a businessman active in the real estate sector and serves as the CEO of Man Infra, a company worth more than Rs 5,000 crore. He has also served as a corporator of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

His declared wealth has previously put him among Maharashtra’s richest politicians. In his affidavit for the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, Shah declared assets worth more than Rs 3,383 crore, making him the richest candidate in the state at the time.


The Ghatkopar East legislator is known for his business background as well as his political career, making his decision to temporarily abandon his usual lifestyle particularly striking.

Why did Parag Shah dress as a beggar?

Shah said he undertook the exercise on the advice of his Jain spiritual guru, Namramuni, during an ongoing special month considered significant in Jain religious tradition.

Following his guru’s suggestion, Shah stayed away from his security arrangements, vehicles and expensive possessions. He used makeup so that people would not recognise him and then spent several hours on the streets in the guise of a beggar.

Rather than simply observing from a distance, Shah sought alms, accepted food and sat by the roadside. He later described the experience to his guru and others.

What did Shah learn from his day as a beggar?

According to Shah, the experience changed the way he viewed the relationship between wealth, status and public respect. He said that people who normally line up to meet him appeared different when he approached them while dressed as a beggar.

“All the respect and honour, the people who line up to meet you -- the same people, when I go to them, become taller than me. So, that is the reality of life,” Shah said while recounting the experience.

He also said the exercise showed him how willing people in Mumbai were to help others.

Shah recalled receiving Rs 20 from one person, who told him to use it to eat food. He also approached a samosa seller and said he had no money. According to Shah, the hawker gave him a samosa without charging him.

“I saw one thing, Mumbai city is such that people here are always ready to help one another,” Shah said.

He particularly remembered the gesture because the vendor was himself a poor hawker but still gave him food without hesitation.

Shah returned to the same places after removing his disguise

After completing the exercise, Shah returned to some of the locations he had visited while dressed as a beggar. This time, he had removed his makeup and appeared as himself.

The exercise allowed him to interact with some of the same people again and reflect on their reactions without them knowing that the person they had encountered earlier was the MLA himself.