Unsung Hero
Narayan Murthy
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Every morning, while heading to work or elsewhere, most of us are met with an unfortunate urban reality—Traffic. Even if we plan and time the commute, it feels like every hour is rush hour. Amidst the cacophony of vehicle horns, frustrated curses uttered by commuters and toxic fumes, we often miss out on those few individuals who work long and tiresome hours to make our journey more secure. Emerging from the crowd in a pair of khaki pants, a white shirt, a helmet, gloves and a neon-green vest, he encourages commuters to calmly follow traffic rules so that they can reach their destination, safe and sound. A former army man, Captain Murthy has been voluntarily clearing traffic on Bannerghatta main road—one of Bengaluru’s busiest roads—for the past 11 years. “I joined the Indian Army in 1959, and from the very beginning, my work revolved around saving lives. Once I retired, I volunteered to help out the traffic officials here. It all began with helping elders and children cross the road, and soon, I was placed at the major junctions to properly lead the traffic. Roads across the country are every driver’s worst nightmare, and I am doing my bit to help them. I don’t consider this to be very different from what I was doing earlier”, shares Captain Murthy with The Better India. After his 15-year-long service in the army was complete, he joined the International Airports Authority (currently known as the Airports Authority of India) and worked there from 1974 to 1980. Recognizing his contribution to the society, the Karnataka State Government awarded him the Kempegowda Award in 2011. However, his multifaceted efforts continue to be mainly of the common radar. “I don’t work to gain fame or money but to make my life more meaningful. I believe that every individual, at some point in his or her life, needs to own up this responsibility and dedicate the best efforts and resources to serve the society in any way possible,” he says before signing off. |
