How often have you heard truck drivers being described as the “backbone of our economy”?

India owes a debt of gratitude to truck drivers, who transport goods, medicines, raw material, and other articles to destinations across the length and breadth of the country. To meet these unlikely heroes of our story of change, join Radio Azim Premji University on the road as we visit the truck parking lots of Kolkata, West Bengal.

A truck parking lot is a busy, crowded yard that smells of diesel fumes and engine oil. The air is filled with the clamor of conversation, loud horns, and the grunt and growl of truck engines. Trucks trundle in for a quick rest stop before shifting gears and heading back to the highway. Drivers work long hours. They are constantly on the move, day and night, driving up to 16 hours at a stretch. These people, mostly men, seldom have time to take care of their needs. How often do they have a health checkup, or get a toothache attended to, or check on their failing eyesight?

Nonprofit Seva Kendra Calcutta, an Azim Premji Foundation philanthropy partner based in the City of Joy, runs the Sambandh programme that provides an outreach avenue for truck drivers to address such needs and, more importantly, create a nurturing and caring community focused on their wellness and security. Join us on the road and listen along.

Stories Of Change is hosted by Anuradha Nagaraj, faculty at the School of Development at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru.

CREDITS:

Akshay Ramuhalli, Bijoy Venugopal, Bruce Lee Mani, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Sananda Dasgupta, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi and Velu Shankar

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

Special thanks to the team at Seva Kendra Calcutta and the truck drivers who are the lifeline of this nation.