Mangalore: Autodriver Kamath has a Heart of Gold
Courtesy:
Stanley G Pinto
Times of India, Mangalore
Mangalore, Mar 6: Good Samaritans don’t grow on trees nor can they be had by the dozens. They are a rare breed, and rarer still among autodrivers. You will rub your eyes in disbelief when Narasimha Kamath reels off one story after another — his experiences of over 26 years.
Narasimha (51) from Kodikkal not only plays the Good Samaritan but also has a heart of gold, willing to part with his hard-earned money and time for the sake of his passengers. Add to that his safe driving, and he is popular not only with customers, but everyone who knows him.
Kamath’s tryst with goodness started about quarter of a century ago, when he saved a woodcutter from the jaws of death. Recalls Kamath: “I had reached Nandigudde during one of my trips, and I saw a large gathering near the wood depot. I saw a woodcutter had axed himself accidentally. While all were sympathizing, none had the courage to help him. Fearing he would bleed to death, I put him in my auto and took him to Wenlock Hospital. The doctors, while examining the wound, found a metal piece and informed the police that I must have hit him. As the victim was unconscious, he was unable to tell them the real story. So I was almost in police custody. When the patient needed drips, I got it with police escort. I go home even for a cup of coffee, but that day, I sat there though the hunger pangs were eating me. At 3 pm, the owner of the depot, who had gone to Hebri, came and rescued me. So grateful was he that he gave me Rs 100. Imagine, that was 26 years ago. That was the last time I accepted money.’’
Kamath’s encounters with the unfortunate ever after have been too many to keep count. He recalls some which are interesting, like helping an epileptic patient, who was a police personnel’s brother-in-law, and who would have met certain death without Kamath’s intervention.
There are some cases, where the victims could have ended up ‘‘somewhere’’ without Kamath’s intervention. Through his presence of mind, he coaxed a Standard VI boy, son of a bank manager, who had fled home to become a cinema star, to return. He also made sure that an affluent girl reached home safely instead of staying in a hotel, as she had missed her bus and did not want to go home around 10 pm. For Kamath, his priority was to ensure she reached home safely, even if it meant he got home at midnight. He recalls an engineer who did not survive, despite his efforts. “Though he was lying in a pool of blood, people glanced at him from their vehicles and left. Had I reached the spot a bit early, he could have been saved.’’
Why does he go out of his way to help people in distress? “The fact that they are in distress calls for help. I have trusted people till now and have not met any who had an ulterior motive. When there is an accident, I have seen people offer lip sympathy and gather as if a circus is going on. If a victim is not given proper medical attention, it may result in death. Sadly, I have not seen the public being empathetic,’’ says Kamath.
There is no guarantee that the money he earns all day reaches home along with him. He recalls instances where he has paid for doctor’s fee, medicines etc. “These incidents happen once or twice in a month. Till now, God has been kind to me and I think I am repaying his kindness,’’ he observes of his largesse.
Doesn’t the increasing cost of fuel dent his earnings? “To be honest, if a person has no vices, the fares are more than enough to fend for a family.’’ Kamath’s son is studying in Standard VIII. What does he want his son to be? “He can be anything; he can even choose my profession. But the city is changing; it’s not like before. My experience with passengers has been good, it may not be so in times to come.’’