Childhood labour bears fruit for motor mechanics

Chandigarh, Aug 20 (UNI) They are today reaping the fruits of the hard labour that cost them their carefree childhood.

Its an irony that Suresh, Darshan, Pyara, Satish, Jagtar and Vikram, all successful young men, are rather thankful that they started early in their profession.

The anti-child labour laws notwithstanding, there are many more such youngsters who are still slogging it out in the shops with stars in their eyes for a bright future.

Suresh Kumar, 30, is earning Rs 8-10 thousand per month as motorcycle mechanic despite having no proper education.

A TVS motorcyle specialist, Suresh worked for five years in a local TVS Motorcycle showroom as mechanic and underwent training twice at the company's manufacturing plant in Banglore on invitation.

''I am more than happy with the profession as despite my poor educational background, I not only earn a decent living but have also found recognition in this field,'' Suresh, who hails from Pratapgarh district in Uttar Pradesh, told UNI.

He, however, concedes that he initially resented the profession because he was forced to work due to abject poverty and family problems when he was just 10-year-old and had barely passed third standard.

But today a proud owner of a roadside mechanic shop at sector 20 motor market here, Suresh is thankful that the destiny sent him this way.

''I am overjoyed with the decision taken some 20 years back, in absence of money and education what better I would have done except this,'' he asks.

Darshan Singh (30), a two-wheeler specialist and proprieter of Guru Nanak Auto Centre, Mani Majra, said he was very weak in studies and managed to pass class fifth with great difficulty. So he decided to be a motor mechanic and joined a motorcycle repair shop along with his friend and classmate Surender Singh, who had now shifted to Canada to work in a car showroom as mechanic.

Darshan said as a 10-year-olds they were the youngest in the mechanic shop, and began with removing the tyres of two-wheelers, handing over intruments, opening of nuts and bolts, washing and polishing of the vehicles, changing clutch wires. ''We used to get Rs 20 on every Sunday,'' he said.

It was after two years of petty jobs that the 'Ustaad' (master) began teaching him to repair engines and other important parts of the vehicles. His working hours then stretched from nine in the morning to eight in the evening and he was paid Rs 500 per month.

''I picked up fast and soon another offer came my way. After working for two years with another Ustaad, I was confident enough to go indepedently and now earn Rs 150 to Rs 200 per day,'' he said.

However, Darshan, now married, wants his son to study as he realised life without education was incomplete.

On child labour, he said, ''the children must be provided education first, they can learn to work anytime.'' MORE UNI DP-JN DKB HT1315