KOCHI: THE next time you meet a migrant worker cleaning your table, treat him gently as he can be a multimillionaire. Else, it will give you a shock as Sreejith Kunniyoor had two days ago.
Sreejith, the financial head with Geeko Logistics, chanced upon a smart Gujarati youth who attended to him at a restaurant at Cheranalloor, near here early this month. Quite impressed by his service and use of English, Sreejith offered 21-year-old Dravya Dholakia a better job in his firm.
However, Sreejith’s friends tried to dissuade him from helping strangers owing to the growing negative sentiments against migrant workforce.
When Dravya realised that Sreejith had some reservations in attending to his calls, he insisted on a meeting, and there unfurled the anti-climax to the migrant tale.
Dravya Dholakia belonged to the family of Surat-based diamond merchants with an annual turnover of over `1,025 crore and employing over 6,000 persons. He was in the city following a family tradition - to experience the hard realities of real life, to equip them to face the challenges in life!
“As a matter of family tradition, youths after completing Class XII prior to venturing into our family business have to spend one month in a city.
We have to find a living on our own and keep changing the job after a week. Not much money will be with us and we have to survive on what we earn daily,” Dravya Dholakia told ‘Express’ from Surat.
According to Dravya, it was Sreejith who influenced him the most during his one-month stay.
“I did nothing extraordinary. I thought of giving him a job when I found that he spoke good English and Hindi. So I gave my number and told him to contact me. However, my friends cautioned me against entertaining strangers, may be due to the recent developments,” said Sreejith, a native of Vadakara.
The Dholakias who were in the news a few years ago for gifting flats and cars to their staff have a reason to start this weird class of practical life, said the 21-year-old.“That was 12 years ago. Our family had a traditional Gujarati dinner at a London hotel. The bill came to 100 pounds per person. The hoteliers said it was because we placed the order without looking at the price listed in the menu. It was an eye-opener. Hence, it was decided that every male member should undertake one month of hard life to learn the value of money,” he said. Three of his cousins from the joint family of 30 did their ‘internship training’ in Pune, Baroda and Jaipur. Now they are heading companies with 1,500 to 2,000 employees,” he said.
Thus, Dravya, son of Savji Dholakia who is the chairman of Hari Krishna Exports flew down to Kochi on June 21 with `7,000 tucked in his pocket. He met nearly 60 persons for a job and on the fourth day he found job.
He worked at two more places, including a BPO, and earned `3,960. “While working as a waiter at Aryas Hotel they provided me with food and accommodation. Otherwise my daily expense would come between `300 and `400,” said Dravya. With a handful of wonderful memories of God’s Own Country, the young diamond merchant will be flying to New York on August 5 to pursue his BBA course at Pace University. “I got support from Keralites, though I was a total stranger here. They helped me find job. I wish my experience should be an inspiration to all those who toil,” Dravya said.