Laud The Honest Rickshaw Driver

Do you find it hard to spot someone honest? I guess so. Gypsies are everywhere. But being such doesn’t mean they aren’t worthy of your trust. There are still a significant number of honest people around. Don’t worry.

Actually, I have read a nice release this morning that made my day. Sigh. If only I could have this news each day. The release reads:

On December 7, 2007 when Vijendra Sharma, a doctorate student from Nagpur, hired a rickshaw from the Shivajinagar bus stand for National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) at Pashan, he had not the slightest idea that the events in the next few hours would change his perspective on life.

As Sharma and a companion reached the NCL guest house around 9:15 am on Monday, his companion paid the fare while he walked ahead to the allotted room at the guest house on Pashan Road. Just as he reached his room, Sharma realised that his bag - that contained a laptop worth Rs 45,000, a mobile phone worth Rs 23,000 and more importantly, his research documents and data sheets that were a result of five years of hard work - was missing. It then struck him that he had kept the bag behind the seat and forgot to collect it.

To his utter surprise, Sharma found the man calling was the same rickshaw driver who had taken him to Pashan road.

The 21-year-old Gaikwad on the other hand, says he cannot imagine being dishonest in his profession. "After dropping sir at NCL, I took another student passenger to Model Colony after which I saw the bag in my rickshaw. I first went to Model Colony thinking that it was the student's bag, but when they said it wasn't theirs, I opened it and found a resume on which Vijendra saheb's photo was there," says Gaikwad, a resident of Patil Estate slums, Shivajinagar.

A misty eyed Gaikwad confesses that he got his real reward when an elated Sharma gave him a huge hug on returning the bag. "He gave me his mobile, which I returned. I would prefer to have a cup of tea with him instead of receiving such a reward," says Gaikwad, who has been riding an autorickshaw since a year.

"I shall always remember this man for his extraordinary honesty, his poverty notwithstanding. This event has really made me introspect into our selfish lives today," says 28-year-old Sharma.

Stories like this make my heart swell as if pushed by a fuel pump. Realization strikes. Notwithstanding hardships, there are still a lot of good things to be thankful about.