Across India, children of autorickshaw drivers, domestic workers, and roadside vendors are working hard and entering top institutes like IITs and IIMs. They are climbing the ladder socially by sheer hard work and talent. However, their parents are still struggling with societal bias.
A recent incident shared by Dr. A Velumani, the founder of Thyrocare, highlights just how deep the class divide runs in our society. He was recently in Mumbai for an event and decided to take an autorickshaw from T2 terminal just for fun. During the ride, he struck up a conversation with the driver.
The man had been driving for over 30 years, working 12 to 14 hours a day. When asked about his family, he proudly shared that his son was studying in IIT Hyderabad, now in his third year. But despite his son studying in one of India’s most prestigious institutes, the father was still slogging every day to pay for his fees.
Upon reaching the star hotel in BKC, where Dr. Velumani was staying, the security guards stopped the rickshaw at the entrance. The driver was not allowed to enter. The reason? “Rules of the hotel”. Dr. Velumani had to get down and walk inside.
Have a look at his full post here:
Came for an event in Mumbai.
T2 terminal. Tried a rickshaw this time. Just for fun. Cool conversation.
Me: how many years driving.
He: > 30 yrs.
Me : Family?
He: wife and Son.
Me: What is son doing ?
He: IIT Hyderabad, 3rd year.
Me: how many hrs you drive daily?
He: 12 to… pic.twitter.com/qaQHArD8v8— Dr. A. Velumani.PhD. (@velumania) February 7, 2025
This incident highlights a social evil that plagues our country – class divide. We celebrate stories of children from humble backgrounds making it big, but we continue to discriminate against those who raised them.
These rules, spoken and unspoken, need to change. Because real progress isn’t just when an IITian emerges from a poor family, but when his father gets the respect he deserves.