businessman of the year - I

(based on a true story)

javed couldn't study beyond 5 years.
his parents couldn't afford his fee.

in the next 15 years
javed completed his informal education
from
the university of
the road.

last year
this very day
was his birthday
as well as
his convocation day!

he was happy
but thirsty....

thirsty of success

without degree
without pedigree
and without money....

with these thoughts in his head
he stepped out of home
in sanjauli
on his way to
the mall road bazar
5 km away
in the heart of shimla.

he waited for the bus.

one came

overloaded!

he skipped it.

and so did many others!

another came

after good 20 minutes

...again overcrowded....

javed skipped this one as well!

and so did all others...

--

finally he decided to go to the mall

on foot

taking the upper narrow road

sealed to automobiles

but open for padestrians and cyclists!

--

as he was walking

he noticed

a big scattered caravan

of people on foot

ahead and behind him....

probably they too had opted to walk

instead of waiting endlessly

for few buses

with not so few passengers.

--

suddenly, an idea stuck javed...

he started walking faster

reached a public telephone booth

and called his friend karthik

semi-literate like him

and unemployed and unemployable...

--

voice from the other side

got shriller

on hearing javed's idea.

--

next day

karthik and javed

pooled in one thousand bucks each

and bought

a hero bicycle.

--

with that bicycle

javed reached

the starting point of that narrow road

and put up a packard

reading

"bicycle for hire - sanjauli to the mall
rupees 20 only"

for full half hour

nobody sought his services....

"are people reading the packard?
will anyone be interested?
am i charging too much?
afterall, the bus charges 5 rupees
and it is so crowded!"

he was lost in all kinds of negative thoughts
till he was shaken out
by a voice
"i want bicycle!"

javed looked at the youngman in front of him
and the twenty rupee note in his hands!

the first order had come...

javed could hardly conceal his emotions!

the man took the possession of the cycle

and quickly rode out of sight....

and as he reached the mall road

he was greeted an surprised

by karthik

the other m.d. of the new transport company

with the plackard

"pl deposit back bicycle here!"

--

the customer was amazed

at the management of the "business".

karthik took hold of the bicycle

and turned the other face of the plackard

which read

"bicycle for hire

from the mall to sanjauli

rupees 20 only!"

--

"what if someone runs away with your bicycle on the way?"

asked a curious tourist...

"there is mountain on one side of the road

and a deep gorge on the other

besides, there are two more friends of ours

standing on the way

among the walking crowd

keeping eyes at the riders!

and all of us have got

lifetime mobile connections

with unlimited sms facility!"

--

full one year has passed.

the company's turnover has increased

from 400 per day

to 4000 a day

and their assets have grown

from 1 bicycle

to 10

including the ones for

kids

women

handicaps

and racers!

--

javed and karthik

have not figured

in this year's list of

businessmen of the year!

--

but they don't mind it!!!