POSTCARD from Hosur-1

Ramesh Kumar

Dear Sahusaab,

Kya boloon? Kya nahi boloon? What a mazadaar day it turned out to be at Leyland Management Development Centre, Hosur, Tamil Nadu on February 15, 2017 ....

Yes, the Day After the Valentine Day!

Over 150 long haul truck drivers of Mercurio Pallia, DBRC, OSL, IVC + 2x2, Dayal Logistics and ARL servicing Ashok Leyland's Hosur plant assembled to celebrate -- uff, chill out is the right word! - Drivers Day Utsav.

Yeh kya cheeze hai, you may wonder, Sahusaab!

By the way, Sahusaab, this was the Second Edition of bringing both fleet owners and their drivers together and engage them in the presence of the ultimate end-user - Ashok Leyland in this instance.

Last year, this unique Drivers Day Utsav event got kickstarted at the same location (February 12, 2016) with the same players (of course, Johal Logistics was there too then) with more drivers if my memory serves right.

Ashok Leyland's top bosses & all six fleet owners were physically present at the events site inaugurating, speechifying (a little!) and doing jury duty where the six teams vied with one another in a novel Smart Driver Contest lasting over an hour where they were grilled by the three-member jury on various appearance, aptitude, emergency response protocol, road safety and what not.

It was a wow episode, Sahusaab!

I know of corporate organizing Drivers Day once a year with the huge audience for whom the show was meant with NO role except being the timid audience. Drivers Day Utsav @ Hosur was actually Drivers calling the shots and suited-booted superiors just forming part of the audience. Cheer leaders? Sort of.

Our driver fraternity literally chilled out inside the air-conditioned convention hall. And, and .... They partook the same lunch served to Leyland bosses & fleet owners - buffet style in a proper table, cutlery blah blah, you know what I mean. Equality in full display. A big sabash to Leyland for giving such an importance to drivers -  the lowest supply chain link in the entire transport ecosystem.

Loaders and leaders were on the same page, so to say!

Post lunch, Sahusaab, was 100% entertainment. They sang their favorite songs or ghazals, shared chutkulis to their heart's content. Who will not, when the underprivileged truck driver realizes that he is being fed, entertained and treated with respect whom he serves! Yes, such behavior is unheard of in Indian scenario for long. Yes, it was just for a day. To begin with.

Am sure, Sahusaab, this transformation of better behavior from white collar towards the khaki collar (read drivers - uniformed and un-uniformed) is changing that I have been chronicling past seven years.

After a plethora of manoranjan ghaanas, they freaked out in one of the most competitive musical chair competition, egging participants. Over half an hour, the size shrunk from 50 to just one winner! Well, that was the format.

Then they trooped out for the pinnacle of the Utsav: tug of war. The feverish atmosphere on the sandy surface under the bright but benevolent sunshine was so intense, even Ashok Leyland officials threw their hat into the ring as one of the contestants. Sportive gesture, it was. (Of course, they lost!).

Following a short tea-break, they re-entered the Utsav's main concourse for the finale: Stand Up Comedy by a team of two who regaled the audience with their offering.

Sahu saab, must tell you one thing: every round of event was quickly followed by prize distribution. This was in addition to what Ashok Leyland itself gave away to 40 odd drivers and bestowed awards to its transporters.

When the curtains came down coinciding with the sunset in the Tamilnadu-Karnataka border town, the team trooped out in a disciplined queue format to collect their final package of goodies, thoughtfully put together by Transport Mitra Services, who scripted the entire Drivers Day Utsav for the second consecutive year.

I know, Sahu saab, you're curious to know the contents of the gift bag!

Here it is: a succulent  and ripe apple and kinoo, two ripe bananas; an ASDC T-Shirt and Cap; and, a soft pillow and cover as part of "Donate Sleep Initiative" launched 2013 in Haridwar/Uttrakhand by KRK Foundation.

Before I forget, PixelHealth of Canada did a thorough Health Risk Assessment (HRA) for all assembled drivers and Leyland staff in the venue. More about it later.

Sahu saab - in your entire career as Commissioner of Employees State Insurance until recently you would have not witnessed such a collaborative joi de vivre involving loaders and leaders!

A lot more details to be shared. One person stood out prominently in my esteem. Through his deed. I  know you are curious to know the identity of this gent. Hang on, Saab! Watch out for the next dispatch.

The Drivers Day Utsav-Edition 2 was so well orchestrated much to the delight of all, the senior most Ashok Leyland honcho at the venue demanded: "Why only once a year? Why not two?"

Of course, why not?

Cheers
Ramesh Kumar