A report by Raghuram Sharma about the events held at the Saint Gobain Gyproc plants in Karnataka and Gujarat
The very apt comments of Swapnil Shah, Founder and CEO, Freight Tiger must be reverberating through the corridors of Saint Gobain and Freight Tiger. Yes, I am talking about his viewpoints on Driver Day Utsav celebrations hosted at Horahalli in Karnataka. To quote him verbatim, “This is the second year Freight Tiger has collaborated with Saint Gobain and Transport Mitra for the Drivers Day Utsav and it’s becoming a mainstay on our calendar. Most drivers don’t expect there to be a day celebrating their hard work, so we make it a point to organise activities that are light and fun. This allows them to break away from their stressful job for a few hours and celebrate.”
“More importantly, different stakeholders come together such as plant managers and their team as well as transport company managers to create a platform for drivers to voice their feedback. Appreciating and respecting drivers for their job shouldn’t be a one-day affair but it is a great start to acknowledging that without their efforts, the economy wouldn’t move forward. We look forward to taking this to more customers and locations next year to celebrate as many drivers as we can,” he added. Could anyone agree any less?
So also, the Shekhar Kulkarni, the supply chain head of Saint Gobain Gyproc, echoed his company’s thoughts when he said, “Celebrating the work of our drivers on this day is our way of expressing Saint Gobain’s commitment towards improving the ecosystem and sustainability of Indian logistics.” The thoughts of the organising companies were clearly reflected in action on the Drivers Day Utsav being held at their Horahalli and Jhagadia plants. The drivers of Saint-Gobain celebrated Drivers Day Utsav with a festive fervour, courtesy Saint Gobain Gyproc and Freight Tiger.
Understanding Indian Drivers
When it comes to understanding the psyche of the Indian highway drivers, who could claim better understanding than Transport Mitra? And the unanimous choice of both Saint Gobain Gyproc and their partner Freight Tiger was obviously Transport Mitra. It turned out to be a day of fun and frolic for the hard-working highway drivers and it was a big no-no for long and boring speeches. The function was declared open by lighting the traditional ‘kuthu vellaku’ (deepam) by the senior drivers and the officials jointly. The air reverberated with patriotic fervour with everyone singing the National Anthem in unison.
Any driver-related engagement is not complete without stressing the need for safety. In fact, the safety of the driver is first and foremost. And it was therefore imperative to include the quintessential safety angle to the event. Each and every driver took an oath of safety, now a trademark style of Transport Mitra – what they call the Ten Commandments – followed by signing the safety pledge canvas along with their Plant Head Harish V and other officials who were present. This was a day where stress was debarred from sneaking in. And for that matter, why only on this day? It should be a way to minimise it from their lives altogether. All the drivers actively participated in the eye and breathing exercises under the guidance of M Yogesh, a veteran yoga trainer from Yoga Sanjeevani, a holistic wellness programme.
Participating in the game of tug-of-war is usually the most eagerly awaited game for the drivers, pan-India. Their enthusiasm and energy are worth watching. Competing with the opposite team for a win to prove their physical might with impromptu adrenal flow in each and every team member, the tug-of-war event was the highlight of the day. Next in line was the event close to their heart. The dancing floor was thrown open to them. Maybe they are not professional dancers but surely it was an item that got the spirits raging high. Initially a few drivers were on the stage which slowly swelled to a big number when popular Kannada songs were belted out.
We requested Freight Tiger’s representative, Sakshi Hingorani, to be a judge to pick out a few among these amateur dancers who stood out with their performance. And then how can we forget the game of musical chair which was played with the same gusto. Glee was writ large on their faces. The final winner felt no less than a politician winning a coveted seat! Gyproc honoured their drivers of the year with a citation and a token gift. Even the transporters were honoured by the company with ‘ponnadai’ and a certificate of excellence.
Keeping in mind the concept that the Drivers Day Utsav is meant for honouring and recognising the contribution of the warriors of the highways, every participant driver of the celebrations was given a jacket, fruits and a big salute from their company officials. On this occasion, Horahalli Plant Head Harish said, “Drivers carry our finished products to the hands of customer safely, going through the challenging roads and statutory authorities and therefore this occasion is important to be able to pay our respect for their efforts as also honour them and tell them that we care for them and their safety.”
Utsav in Gujarat Too
Jhagadia is yet another remote hamlet of Gujarat where Gyproc’s plant is situated. The scene was no different from Horahalli. Despite the constant drizzle, the enthusiasm of the participants and the company officials was not dampened a bit. The full safety protocol regarding the corona virus was observed, including taking the antigen test, temperature and oxygen levels for all those who participated. The most impressive part of the function was the presence of the officials throughout the event. Normally we observe such participation in family events. Their Plant Head Himanshu Bharadwaj and Logistics Head Mahendra Solanki were omnipresent, interacting freely with their drivers.
In his comments, Bharadwaj said, “This is a wonderful day invested with the hardworking and dedicated drivers of our country who all are doing the most important and demanding job. Thank you for your professionalism and the sacrifices you make for the growth of the country.” An air of festivity was built up. Hats off to Saint Gobain! The agenda of Horahalli was replicated here too. Health and fitness tips by Surendra Sinh and his deputy Vimal Dave from Yoga Sanjeevani, a holistic wellness programme, were lapped by not only the drivers but also the officials present at the venue. An added attraction was the acupressure tool kit which was distributed to all to help them combat stress and driver fatigue.
The veteran yoga master explained various benefits of yoga followed by a practical demonstration of how to use the tool kit. As with Horahalli, all the participants received a windcheater as a gift. Showcasing equal treatment, the company organised common lunch for all in their staff canteen. At both the events, best drivers and best transporters serving Saint Gobain Gyproc were honoured with certificates and gifts. Drivers Day shouldn’t be only demonstrative but a way of enlightening the transport world about these indispensable warriors of the road, the industry and the economy of the country. Along with it of course comes the main motto of awakening the slumbering self-esteem of the socially neglected driver fraternity.