diff --git a/packages/pynumaflow-lite/manifests/sideinput/Dockerfile b/packages/pynumaflow-lite/manifests/sideinput/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e3ae81a8
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+++ b/packages/pynumaflow-lite/manifests/sideinput/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+FROM python:3.11-slim-bullseye AS builder
+
+ENV PYTHONFAULTHANDLER=1 \
+  PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1 \
+  PYTHONHASHSEED=random \
+  PIP_NO_CACHE_DIR=on \
+  PIP_DISABLE_PIP_VERSION_CHECK=on \
+  PIP_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT=100 \
+  POETRY_HOME="/opt/poetry" \
+  POETRY_VIRTUALENVS_IN_PROJECT=true \
+  POETRY_NO_INTERACTION=1 \
+  PYSETUP_PATH="/opt/pysetup"
+
+  ENV PATH="$POETRY_HOME/bin:$PATH"
+
+RUN apt-get update \
+    && apt-get install --no-install-recommends -y \
+        curl \
+        wget \
+        # deps for building python deps
+        build-essential \
+    && apt-get install -y git \
+    && apt-get clean && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/* \
+    && curl -sSL https://install.python-poetry.org | python3 -
+
+FROM builder AS udf
+
+WORKDIR $PYSETUP_PATH
+COPY ./ ./
+
+RUN pip
+
+RUN poetry lock
+RUN poetry install --no-cache --no-root && \
+    rm -rf ~/.cache/pypoetry/
+RUN poetry add $PYSETUP_PATH/pynumaflow_lite-0.1.0-cp311-cp311-manylinux_2_17_aarch64.manylinux2014_aarch64.whl
+
+CMD ["poetry", "run", "python", "sideinput_example.py"]
+
diff --git a/packages/pynumaflow-lite/manifests/sideinput/README.md b/packages/pynumaflow-lite/manifests/sideinput/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4cea0513
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/pynumaflow-lite/manifests/sideinput/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+To create the `wheel` file, refer [root](../../README.md)
+
+## HOWTO build Image
+
+```bash
+docker build . -t quay.io/numaio/numaflow/pynumaflow-lite-sideinput:v1 --load
+```
+
+### `k3d`
+
+Load it now to `k3d`
+
+```bash
+k3d image import quay.io/numaio/numaflow/pynumaflow-lite-sideinput:v1
+```
+
+### Minikube
+
+```bash
+minikube image load quay.io/numaio/numaflow/pynumaflow-lite-sideinput:v1
+```
+
+## Run the pipeline
+
+```bash
+kubectl apply -f pipeline.yaml
+```
+
diff --git a/packages/pynumaflow-lite/manifests/sideinput/pipeline.yaml b/packages/pynumaflow-lite/manifests/sideinput/pipeline.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dc5e2db4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/pynumaflow-lite/manifests/sideinput/pipeline.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+apiVersion: numaflow.numaproj.io/v1alpha1
+kind: Pipeline
+metadata:
+  name: simple-sideinput
+spec:
+  sideInputs:
+    - name: myticker
+      container:
+        image: quay.io/numaio/numaflow/pynumaflow-lite-sideinput:v1
+        imagePullPolicy: Never
+      trigger:
+        schedule: "*/10 * * * * *"
+  vertices:
+    - name: in
+      source:
+        # A self data generating source
+        generator:
+          rpu: 1
+          duration: 1s
+    - name: si-map
+      udf:
+        container:
+          image: quay.io/numaio/numaflow/pynumaflow-lite-sideinput:v1
+          imagePullPolicy: Never
+          env:
+            - name: MAPPER
+              value: "true"
+      sideInputs:
+        - myticker
+    - name: out
+      sink:
+        # A simple log printing sink
+        log: { }
+  edges:
+    - from: in
+      to: si-map
+    - from: si-map
+      to: out
+
diff --git a/packages/pynumaflow-lite/manifests/sideinput/pyproject.toml b/packages/pynumaflow-lite/manifests/sideinput/pyproject.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..424bda25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/pynumaflow-lite/manifests/sideinput/pyproject.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+[project]
+name = "sideinput-example"
+version = "0.1.0"
+description = "Side Input Example with Retriever and Mapper"
+authors = [
+    { name = "Vigith Maurice", email = "vigith@gmail.com" }
+]
+readme = "README.md"
+requires-python = ">=3.11"
+dependencies = [
+    "watchfiles",
+    "watchdog",
+]
+
+
+[build-system]
+requires = ["poetry-core>=2.0.0,<3.0.0"]
+build-backend = "poetry.core.masonry.api"
+
diff --git a/packages/pynumaflow-lite/manifests/sideinput/sideinput_example.py b/packages/pynumaflow-lite/manifests/sideinput/sideinput_example.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..781e997b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/pynumaflow-lite/manifests/sideinput/sideinput_example.py
@@ -0,0 +1,145 @@
+"""
+Side Input Example for pynumaflow-lite.
+
+This module contains both a SideInput retriever and a Mapper that reads from side inputs.
+The mode is controlled by the MAPPER environment variable:
+- If MAPPER is set to "true", runs as a Mapper that reads side input files
+- Otherwise, runs as a SideInput retriever that broadcasts values
+"""
+import asyncio
+import os
+import signal
+import threading
+from threading import Thread
+import datetime
+
+from pynumaflow_lite import sideinputer, mapper
+from watchfiles import watch
+
+
+class ExampleSideInput(sideinputer.SideInput):
+    """
+    A SideInput retriever that broadcasts a timestamp message every time.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.counter = 0
+
+    async def retrieve_handler(self) -> sideinputer.Response:
+        """
+        This function is called every time the side input is requested.
+        """
+        time_now = datetime.datetime.now()
+        # val is the value to be broadcasted
+        val = f"an example: {str(time_now)}"
+        self.counter += 1
+        # broadcast_message() is used to indicate that there is a broadcast
+        return sideinputer.Response.broadcast_message(val.encode("utf-8"))
+
+
+class SideInputHandler(mapper.Mapper):
+    """
+    A Mapper that reads from side input files and includes the value in its output.
+    """
+
+    # variable and lock for thread safety
+    data_value = "no_value"
+    data_value_lock = threading.Lock()
+
+    # Side input file that we are watching
+    watched_file = "myticker"
+
+    async def handler(self, keys: list[str], datum: mapper.Datum) -> mapper.Messages:
+        with self.data_value_lock:
+            current_value = self.data_value
+
+        messages = mapper.Messages()
+        messages.append(mapper.Message(str.encode(current_value)))
+        return messages
+
+    def file_watcher(self):
+        """
+        This function is used to watch the side input directory for changes.
+        """
+        path = sideinputer.DIR_PATH
+        for changes in watch(path):
+            for change in changes:
+                change_type, file_path = change
+                if file_path.endswith(self.watched_file):
+                    with self.data_value_lock:
+                        self.update_data_from_file(file_path)
+
+    def init_data_value(self):
+        """Read the SIDE INPUT FILE for initial value before starting the server."""
+        path = os.path.join(sideinputer.DIR_PATH, self.watched_file)
+        print(f"Initializing side input from: {path}")
+        self.update_data_from_file(path)
+
+    def update_data_from_file(self, path):
+        try:
+            with open(path) as file:
+                value = file.read().strip()
+                self.data_value = value
+                print(f"Data value variable set to: {self.data_value}")
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(f"Error reading file: {e}")
+
+
+# Optional: ensure default signal handlers are in place so asyncio.run can handle them cleanly.
+signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, signal.default_int_handler)
+try:
+    signal.signal(signal.SIGTERM, signal.SIG_DFL)
+except AttributeError:
+    pass
+
+
+async def start_sideinput():
+    """Start the SideInput retriever server."""
+    server = sideinputer.SideInputAsyncServer()
+    side_input = ExampleSideInput()
+
+    loop = asyncio.get_running_loop()
+    loop.add_signal_handler(signal.SIGINT, lambda: server.stop())
+    loop.add_signal_handler(signal.SIGTERM, lambda: server.stop())
+
+    try:
+        await server.start(side_input)
+        print("SideInput server shutting down gracefully...")
+    except asyncio.CancelledError:
+        server.stop()
+
+
+async def start_mapper():
+    """Start the Mapper server that reads from side inputs."""
+    server = mapper.MapAsyncServer()
+    handler = SideInputHandler()
+
+    # Initialize the data value from the side input file
+    handler.init_data_value()
+
+    # Start the file watcher in a background thread
+    watcher_thread = Thread(target=handler.file_watcher, daemon=True)
+    watcher_thread.start()
+
+    loop = asyncio.get_running_loop()
+    loop.add_signal_handler(signal.SIGINT, lambda: server.stop())
+    loop.add_signal_handler(signal.SIGTERM, lambda: server.stop())
+
+    try:
+        await server.start(handler)
+        print("Mapper server shutting down gracefully...")
+    except asyncio.CancelledError:
+        server.stop()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    # Check if we should run as a mapper or side input retriever
+    is_mapper = os.environ.get("MAPPER", "").lower() == "true"
+
+    if is_mapper:
+        print("Starting as Mapper (reading side inputs)...")
+        asyncio.run(start_mapper())
+    else:
+        print("Starting as SideInput retriever...")
+        asyncio.run(start_sideinput())
+