Tornagallu Diary - 5

Ramesh Kumar

Handling long haul truck drivers is something akin to shepherding one's own children. Moody and uncooperative. Moody because both believe in unfettered freedom. So when they are confined to a restricted area, they protest silently. Their protest manifests via non-cooperation. With whom? Whomsoever they figure out working against their goal of joy.

Their reluctance to engage in any fruitful collaboration with the authority in sight - the Teacher in this case in a classroom ambiance - is doomed right from the word "go". Unless, a friendly atmosphere is created to convey that both the Teacher and the Taught are not adversaries during the tenure of time spent together for a day or more. But together for a common purpose.

It is a battle of wits between the two diametrically opposite poles. Children or Truck drivers on the one side and the Teacher/Coach on the other side. The tension has to evaporate as early as possible with some trick or other for any  semblance of "work" to commence. Basically, they have to be won over so that the rest of the class or session will function smoothly.  No child's play this is.

Yellapantula Raghuram Sharma, the Coach or Head of Training of TransportMitra Services P Ltd, knows this precept pretty well. Given his penchant for linguistic felicity coupled with coaching experience of more than a decade with Air India-Indian Airlines,  he is well prepared. Every single day is  a challenge because he has to confront 15 new "students" daily. Long haul truck drivers cannot be  held back beyond a few hours or maximum a day since the loaded vehicle is waiting at the yard to move to its destination. Getting educated is fine, but not at the cost of the motor malik losing business. The motor maliks, of late, are sensing the importance of an "enabled" workforce due to the very late realization among the corporate - the ultimate end users - of ensuring safety of their cargo and in the process, the fall out is their insistence on better vehicles and equally better trained drivers. Thus, class room education for  truck drivers is gaining prominence and Sharmaji is in business.

His gambit: ice breaker. Simply put, he unfastens the seat belt of his wards (truck drivers in this case) with a game. After a brief self introduction to the assembled 15 odd long haul truck drivers on the third floor of Kataria Movers in Tornagallu, Sharmaji invites them for a game of balloon.

He divides the assembled drivers into two, using their  nativity  as a yardstick. "Those from Azamgarh, stand here and others, those from Rae Bareli, stand there," he advises in his smooth voice.

The audience is perplexed. Balloons for grown ups? "Driverbhaiyon, I wish to awaken the child in you... as kids, we always loved balloons, no?" Sharmaji sets the agenda. Now, he orders them to fill them with air and hold in their left hand. Next, toothpicks distributed to each one of them.

Unable to hide their mirth, drivers pitted against each other exchange glances. Balloon and toothpick. Some inflate their balloons to the brim. Some, moderately. No uniformity. In the bargain, some balloons go burst and fresh supply for refilling with air.

The  maiden act of air filled color balloons and toothpick has certainly transformed the atmosphere. Witty exchanges among drivers transpire. Was it the same glum looking drivers hardly a few minutes ago when they trooped in? Good question. The balloon has done the trick, indeed. An air of carnival.

They anxiously await next set of instructions to play the game, whatever it is. Sharmaji spells out the rules. Over the next two minutes, both groups have to ensure the safety of their respective inflated balloons. At the end, whichever group has  the maximum number of undamaged but inflated balloons, will  be declared the winner. Simple, no doubt. So,  what for toothpicks?  A possible weapon to deflate rival's balloons? Your guess as good as mine.

Sharmaji directs both teams to discuss game the plan with their  respective groups: how to safeguard their balloons. Each team goes into a huddle for a minute or so. The whistle blown and the countdown begins. There is total mayhem. Both teams clash with each other, trying to prick other's balloon. In less than 30 seconds, most balloons deflated. Those left with undamaged balloons are chased around the hall by rivals. Taller drivers hold aloft their balloons and run to escape from the relatively shorter rivals scampering with their toothpick weaponry. It was fun watching these grown up men - ranging between 20 and 50 years plus - running helter skelter. Full throated war cry. Total hungama. Lot of noise. And bonhomie too. A real classroom or playground atmosphere. Typical child-like innocence. Fun and merry all around.

When the final whistle is blown, more torn unshapely rubber lying all around on the floor. No balloon safe. No  winners.  .

True, the ice is broken. There is bonhomie between Sharmaji and the assembled drivers who will be spending the next five hours listening to his lessons on various skill sets they are expected to learn and imbibe. He has won them over. Just the balloon did the trick.

On the surface of it, it is a simple game. As Sharma seats them in their respective chairs and explains the moral of the game. "My direction (to you) was to safeguard your balloons. I never asked you to burst them. ... All 15 of you would have been winners if you stayed put and avoided pricking others' balloons.  Unfortunately, you decided to run amok and in the bargain, there are no winners. Sad," post mortems Sharmaji.

The sadness on the face of drivers is perceptible. They fully agree with Sharmaji. If only they  thought through.... If only they understood the real meaning of the directions ....

"You believed that to achieve your personal victory, you have to affect others. That's wrong," adds he  with a tinge of sorrow. Over the fortnight long daily day long sessions with different set of drivers, the result is the same: all balloons burst most of the days. Rare are the days when 2-3 balloons remain unpunctured.

More than the import of balloon game, Sharmaji very quickly built up a perfect rapport with his core audience. They will joyfully sit through the full day session ungrudgingly. Just not the topics but the presentation and interactive nature of sessions made the exercise enjoyable for everyone.

Towards the fag end of the fortnight long workshop on "integrated smart driver training programme", drivers were demanding "once more" of some sessions.  Few simple physical exercise regimen  is one such much in demand session. Imagine, truck drivers used to lethargic lifestyle due to lack of any physical activity asking for repeats of such activities.

Simply put, Sharmaji shrewdly obtained a total "buy in" from his driver students via  a simple balloon game. Ustaad coach, Sharmaji is!

Who is Yerapantalu Raghuram Sharma? Find here

Where is Tornagallu? Check here