“As an auto driver, while the grind is definitely intense, there’s also an unspoken sense of happiness that automatically finds its way into my work every day. And this can be in the smallest of things. From the sight of an elderly person’s warm smile, first ride in the morning, to the winds of the beach whispering their tales as I zoom past the lengths of Marina, the pace of change is so fast that it’s often hard to remember the difficulties of the day.

And even as a person, my life has been rather simple and smooth. I’ve been in the industry for over 3 decades now, travelling extensively right from my youth with the money I’ve made. People often look at me with wonder when I narrate the story of my visits to places like Goa and Maharashtra, especially since I do this for a living.

But I guess it all comes down to how one ultimately wants to live their life. My whole point is that there will always be ups and downs; what matters at the end, however, are people and the memories one can garner. So it’s never been about the money, I can earn it anyday I want to. Even with my kids, that’s the reason I strive to provide them with happy childhoods rather than dumping all my stress during their formative years.

Plus, if we think about it, the weight of the world is eventually gonna pull all of us down at some point. So if one were to gather the momentum to handle all that, it has to start from within, with a happy heart and mind. At the close of this beautiful journey called life, what matters is just one thing and that’s to make yourself proud!”