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ShareMumbai: I was travelling with my family in an autorickshaw, little did I expect that this ride would be any different. As we set off in the vehicle, my eyes noticed a few magazines, kept in an aircraft-style pouch, behind the driver's back rest.
I looked in front and there was a small television. The driver had tuned to the Doordarshan channel, perhaps to keep his passengers engrossed.
My wife and I looked at each other with disbelief and amusement. In front of me was a small first-aid box replete with cotton, antiseptic and some medicines. This was enough for me to realise that I was in a special vehicle.
Then I looked round again and discovered that there was a radio, fire extinguisher, wall clock and calendar. There were pictures and symbols of all faiths from Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism. There were also photographs of November 26 Mumbai terror attack heroesAshok Kamte, Vijay Salaskar, Hemant Karkare and Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan. Then I realised that not only was my vehicle unique, its driver was also special.
I started chatting with him and gathered that he had been driving an autorickshaw for the last nine years. He had lost his job when his employer's plastic company was shut down.
He had two school-going children and he drove from 8 in the morning till 10 at night.
I realised that we had come across a man who represented Mumbai - the spirit of work, travel and excelling in life.
He also frequented the old age home for women in Andheri once a week or whenever he had some extra income, where he donated toothbrushes, pastes, soap, hair oil and other items of daily use.
While some autoriskshaw drivers are known to fleece physically-handicapped passengers, this man had the message: 25% discount on metered fare for the handicapped painted near the dashboard.
He also promised free rides for visually-challenged passengers upto Rs50. When we disembarked, all I could do was to pay him a tip that would hardly cover a free ride for a blind man. One day, I hope, you too get a chance to meet Sandeep Bachhe in his auto rickshaw (MH-02-Z-8508).
