The Ninjas are in your city, all
around you, going about their business, quietly, just like ninjas do. Their
purpose, their mission, is to get under the skin of this city and to uncover
stories that make Mumbai unique. Here at Discovering Mumbai, we are always
excited about meeting people, just like us, who are wandering, exploring every
nook and cranny of this mystical city and coming up with stories that celebrate
the spirit of Mumbai. We were lucky enough to bump into the ninja, who started
this ninja institute, a website actually, by the name ‘City Ninjas’. Here is
the story of Anisha Sharma, an extremely passionate Mumbaikar and founder of
City Ninjas.
City Ninjas was the idea of
Anisha Sharma, all of 24, born and brought up here in the city. She holds a
degree in Political Science from St. Xavier’s College and a MA in Broadcast
Journalism from the University of Sheffield. Anisha returned to her home in
2011 and since then she has been involved in harnessing the power of digital
media to promote art and culture. “The
idea came to me some months after I quit my last job. I’d spent some time traveling
around Europe. I was always the kind of person who liked to experience a city,
more than hop from one tourist destination to another,” says Anisha. She
realised that Mumbai didn’t have something similar and that’s when she decided
to start City Ninjas.
“City Ninjas is a website that celebrates every little thing that makes
Mumbai special,” says Anisha. It is about the people, the nooks and
crannies, about everything that makes this maddening, traffic choked, and awe-inspiring
city so important to us. City Ninjas showcases the diversity of the city
through written columns, original video content and photo essays. “Something that looks below the surface of
the city—just like a ninja,” she says. The site differentiates itself from
the horde of websites which talk about Mumbai, by being about the personal
experiences and the different characters that represent Mumbaikars. It is a far
cry from these sites which are just about reviews of places and quick lists on
the city. It is a refreshing, fun and quirky haven for everything Mumbai.
Anisha’s faithful legion of
friends supported her all the way in setting up her dream project. From the most
critical things to the minutest details like choosing a font, her friends were
always there for her. “My family keeps
brainstorming on Twitter hashtags I should use—it’s the cutest thing. They
actually came up with #ShutterbugNinjas!” says Anisha. Along the way there
were the usual challenges and lots of crises of faith, but thanks to the
overwhelming support of her friends and family, all the mountains of challenges
were surmounted. “I feel really lucky to
know such wonderful people—it’s what keeps me going!” says Anisha.
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| Anisha Sharma, founder 'City Ninjas' |
The project, though still in its
early days, has given Anisha numerous memories to cherish. “The day I got the final logo for City
Ninjas, I almost didn’t want to share it with the world because it was so cute!”
says Anisha. Every single investment that she has made in the project has
become a memory to cherish for her. Buying a whiteboard, her first investment,
was an extremely emotional moment. So excited she was, that she whatsapped
people saying “So it begins!” She has also had her fair share of bitter
moments, like criticism on Twitter, or a mean comment on the website. “Every little negative word cuts deep, and
hurts, because this is like my baby and I’m extremely protective about it,” she
says. She is open to criticism so long as it is constructive.
Working on City Ninjas has been a
very valuable lesson for Anisha, both on the personal and professional fronts. “Professionally, it’s been a whirlwind—being
your own boss is a blessing and a curse,” says Anisha. One tends to think
that they will have all the free time in the world, but soon you realize that
you are working 24x7! On the personal front, the project has helped her get
connected with wonderful people, who supported her in the process of setting up
City Ninjas. However, City Ninjas is nascent; and a long journey lies ahead, “I know there’s so much more to learn, and I
can’t wait!”
So what can we look forward to in
2013 from City Ninjas? “I plan to only
make City Ninjas bigger and better—I’ve got a couple of tricks up my sleeve,
and can’t wait to get the ball rolling,” says Anisha. So involved she is in
the project, that now there is no boundary separating the two, “I don’t think there’s much of a distinction
anymore—I am City Ninjas, and it’s me.” So sit back and let the ninjas bring you
stories of Mumbai that will leave you wanting for more.
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