The story of Mr Sudhir: how to survive in Delhi's 'grey market'

When sociologist Richard Sennett was fleeced by an iPhone dealer in Delhi, the pair struck up a friendship that opened a window into the informality of modern cities

In the south-east of Delhi, a vast T-shaped market has arisen on top of an underground parking garage.

Nehru Place came into being because in the 1970s Delhi did not have enough commercial real estate to house its burgeoning small businesses. Original plans show the plaza above the parking garage as empty, and lined with low, four-storey buildings meant for offices rather than shops. Today, there remain traces of that intention. The boxy buildings lining the sides of Nehru Place form a downmarket version of Silicon Valley. Here, tech startups occupy cramped rooms next to computer repair shops and cut-rate travel agents.

Mr Sudir's situation is familiar, if uncomfortable morally - ethical family values "coupled to shady behaviour

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