Long before taxi services with fancy apps started wooing commuters with special offers, discounts and customer-friendly moves, a 20-something auto driver in Chennai was winning over folks. Here’s introducing this one-of-a-kind auto driver:
His name is Annadurai, he’s 29 and plies a share auto on the Thiruvanmiyur-Sholinganallur route.
Image courtesy: rickshawchallenge.com
The reason he’s been making news is that he’s probably the most customer-friendly auto driver in the whole country. His auto is equipped with wi-fi and mobile-charging point and he stocks a dozen-plus magazines and the newspapers of the day. He also has a tablet handy for those who don’t have smart phones.
Image courtesy: Annadurai’s Facebook page
Annadurai is a philanthropist-on-wheels. For a school dropout he has a huge amount of respect for teachers who, he believes, do a great service. So, all teachers get free rides with him, as do nurses, especially those who treat HIV patients.
He’s business-savvy, too, and has a loyalty programme. Every time a passenger boards his auto, he gets a token. Collect 20 tokens and you get Rs 250 bonus.
Annadurai’s inspiring, heartwarming story went viral in 2013, after a group called ‘Photos That Shook the World’ posted it on Facebook.
He’s become a Chennai icon since, and has given a Tedx talk, been interviewed more times than he can remember and been sought out by film celebs like Santosh Sivan.
Image courtesy: amazingauto.in
Quick to realize that the curiosity about him isn’t about to die down any time soon, Annadurai has launched his website www.amazingauto.in.
On the site, he’s announced a trust fund to set up facilities that will care for the aged, orphaned and troubled. Given his drive, Chennai’s most famous auto man looks all set to realise his dream.
