Myola Joanes & Sagun Gawade
RIBANDAR: Umakant Shirodkar, a 58-year-old newspaper seller from Ribandar, has spent decades navigating Panjim on his trusty cycle, delivering newspapers door-to-door and office-to-office. Each day begins as early as 4 am, when he rises and completes his morning chores before heading to Panjim by 4.30 am to collect his newspapers from the bus stand. Delivering newspapers for almost 50 years, he says, “I never get time for anything else as the entire day is packed. But it's been a good job so far,” says Umakant. With a daily load of 700 newspapers, his day stretches until 4.30 pm, and he works 365 days a year.
Umakant took up this role to support his family. He was born into a household with three siblings, a physically challenged father, and a mother who worked in the fields to make ends meet. “We were in quite a bad situation, so my brother and I got together and came up with a solution,” he explains. Determined to help, Umakant and his older brother left school at around age 14 to support the family, with his brother covering the local area while Umakant took to Panjim on his cycle, commuting every day between Ribandar and Panjim.
“The first 30 years, I used to come cycling, but later, my brother bought a bike, which helped cut the travel time,” he recalls.
Now, Umakant leaves his bike in Panjim, still relying on his cycle to make his local rounds. “I have been cycling for many years now, in this fast-paced smart city. It’s kept my bones and muscles going, even at 58,” he says with pride.
With a full day of deliveries, there are challenges that come with the job. “Climbing up and down the stairs can take a toll on your body as years pass by. Offices are located on higher floors, and I am not as young as I used to be, but as long as I can, I’ll keep doing it,” he tells O Heraldo. Technology has also added complications, with customers increasingly paying through UPI or sometimes delaying payments. “It gets a little difficult, especially since everything has become more technical… I’m still catching up.”
Despite these issues, Umakant finds motivation in his community. “What drives me to the job every day is the enthusiasm of the people when they see me. Each one is greeted and gets greeted back. The smiles and kindness of the people are very important for any job to motivate you better,” he shares.