Unsung, So Tune In

By Sanjay Pinto

In the summer of '98 when I joined NDTV, my job was a case of 'friend'senvy, holder's pride'. I remember my buddies gushing 'hey man, what fun to berubbing shoulders with celebrities, film stars, cricketers, tennis players,politicians ' Honestly I too enjoyed interviewing the "who's who" inmost arenas.

Close to ten years on, through the rough and tumble of televisionjournalism, the stories I remember most are not about the Magsaysay, Arjuna,Padma Bhushan awardees. They were important too, but the ones that gave megoose bumps were features on unsung achievers.

Ordinary people who did the most extraordinary things, humble souls whochanged lives and made a difference, but most of all, who didn't, like theproverbial Publican, blow their own trumpets. To some extent, I'm fortunate toreport from a state like Tamil Nadu, which despite its high voltage, acerbicinter-party Dravidian hostility, has thrown up a slew of real life stories ofsacrifice - of hope, of courage, of empathy. Here, charity is not like justicethat has to be seen to be done. It's quiet service minus the bragging.

And talking of bragging, I can never forget the sight of tsunami survivorsin Cuddalore. Hungry children who had lost everything - their homes and theirparents, and were too shocked to even grieve, staring at food packets. It waswell past noon the day after the killer waves had struck. A group of ladiesfrom an NGO had landed in the district clad in grand silk saris, for disaster tourismand publicity. They delayed handing over these food packets to those starvingkids just because a few more lens men were on the way!

The people you are set to read about are such a refreshing change fromthe many cheap ribbon-cutting publicity seekers. You have probably heard ofthem off the cuff, but don't know much about their work.

Krishnan. 26. Gave up his job as a chef in a five-star hotelafter he saw a man eating human excreta. For many years, he has been feeding200 abandoned mentally challenged people on Madurai's street corners. With a small bandof volunteers, and a few donations, he cooks three meals everyday and alsocollects food wasted at marriage receptions for them. He seeks no publicity.

Kalyanasundaram. 68. Started Paalam which means 'bridge' - abridge between the haves and the have-nots. And not from public donations butwith his own life's savings, his entire inherited property, his Provident Fundand so on earned as a librarian for 35 years. To understand the plight ofdestitutes, he even lived on the pavement for a few years. For his basic needs,he worked as a waiter in a hotel in Tirunelveli. He finances the education ofpoor children and looks after destitute senior citizens.

'Traffic' Ramaswamy. 76. Earned the title because as a citizenhe used to ease traffic congestion in Chennai's Parry's corner. A compulsivepublic (not publicity!) interest litigant, he has been a thorn in the flesh ofsuccessive governments in Tamil Nadu, challenging bandh calls, politicalschemes and a plethora of government orders. He has faced attacks many timesbut no one has been able to break his spirit.

A former High Court Chief Justice had ordered the government to provide himpolice security. He is perhaps the only 'common man' in Chennai who has abodyguard! But Ramaswamy once told me how the first person to run whenever he'sattacked is the armed constable! But I also remember for a live programme, howthe same gunman was seen calling his relatives on his mobile to ask them towatch him standing behind Ramaswamy on NDTV!

He has won no award. (Talking of awards? Well, didn't the original CharlieChaplin once win the third prize in the 'Charlie Chaplin Look Alike' contest?)

There must be many other Good Samaritans who are not even heard of. May theirtribe increase. Their lives are like unheard melodies. So like the group Abbasang, I'd say Thank You For The Music. They make thingsbetter and our lives as journalists more meaningful. They are my heroes.Because they are not celebrated.