8.A THREE WHEELED REVOLUTION

A THREE WHEELED REVOLUTION

 A Three-Wheeled Revolution by Irfan Alam is an interview with Irfan Alam conducted by Sujatha Ramprasad for India Currents in May 2010. Irfan Alam, an internationally acclaimed entrepreneur, is a man with a difference. He has deviated from the usual path of corporate business mentality to pursue socially responsible entrepreneurship. During his teenage years, he started Stock Trade Analysis and won a famous reality show called 'Business Baazigar,' where he presented a business proposal. The main idea behind the proposal was to organize the rickshaw sector and make it a profitable venture. He suggested redesigning rickshaws and equipping them with music, newspapers, first aid kits, refreshments, and advertisements. This idea revolutionized the rickshaw sector. He was invited to the Presidential Entrepreneurship Summit in 2010, and President Obama complimented him for his remarkable achievements.

The real journey to his success began with a simple act of kindness involving water. When he was seventeen years old, on a summer afternoon, he hired a rickshaw and felt thirsty during the ride. He asked the rickshaw puller if he could provide him with water, to which the puller responded that he couldn't because he didn't have the money to buy and carry water. This incident made Irfan Alam contemplate the plight of rickshaw pullers. In 2007, he founded an organization called Samman, which aimed to organize and empower the rickshaw pulling industry.

Samman started without any funds, and its name signifies respect and dignity for all. Alam strongly believed in bringing marginalized individuals into the mainstream. The primary objective was to provide loans to rickshaw pullers so they could own their rickshaws. They were given training on basic etiquette and traffic rules, along with insurances, ID cards, and uniforms. The money earned through advertisements and other amenities was divided between the rickshaw pullers and Samman, giving them a sense of belonging and empowerment. The social venture became a social cause, and the children of the operators and their spouses attended free evening classes called Samman Gyan. Innovative ideas like solar-powered fiberglass rickshaws were introduced, providing an environmentally friendly mode of transport and boosting the self-esteem of the underprivileged. Through this interview, we gain a clear understanding of Irfan Alam, who acted as a savior for the downtrodden through his selfless social ventures.