Mumbai-based cycle delivery boys Kamlesh Thakur and Shadab Khan are on cloud nine these days as they have become one of the sought after faces on social media. Their everyday struggles have not only inspired thousands of netizens but also made them believe that nothing is impossible if you have strong determination in your heart.
Thakur quit his education after Std XII to support his family financially. Making deliveries on cycle for Swiggy four years, he managed to make enough money to marry off his two sisters. “My survival tip in the fast-moving city is no job is small and you need to stop giving into peer pressure. I was the sole earner in my family and making the ends meet was completely on my shoulders. I had two unmarried sisters and getting them married was my biggest responsibility. I got a job in Swiggy and cycled almost 14 hours a day to get the food delivered. Last year, I got my sisters married using my earnings made from deliveries on the cycle,” he said.
Khan rides 10 hours a day on a cycle to sell pav to groceries, restaurants and households and at night he drives cabs to earn extra money so that he can fund the education of his daughter who wants to become an engineer. He also stressed how cycling acted as a stress buster in the whole scenario. “I started this double shift when my daughter expressed her desire to get herself enrolled in a good engineering college. But it was impossible for me to arrange that much money. So, I decided to work day and night. During this phase of earning money, cycling to work not only helped me to save money, it also helped me to be fit and reduce stress. It was like meditation for me,” he said.
Both these unsung heroes recently participated in a group cycle ride organised by Hero Cycles and The Smart Commute Foundation (SCF). Their efforts were recognised and honoured by the cycling manufacturing brand, who honoured them with their high-range Lectro-E-Bikes. “We at Hero Cycles strongly advocate and are at the forefront to ensure that every cyclist on the road should have a fair share of the road, be respected and ride safe. As a gesture of goodwill, we also presented two Lectro ECycles, our premiere electric offerings to enable the delivery boys to ride hassle free effortlessly and be safe on the roads,” said the spokesperson from Hero Cycles. The company also distributed safety kits including helmets, blinkers and lights to delivery boys from various food delivery companies who tirelessly ride to deliver food and make a living.
The SCF team has also been posting real-life stories of people who are using the bicycle as a means of livelihood on their digital handles.
