BENGALURU:There are two kinds of begging, says Renuka Aradhya, a Class 9 graduate who has fought poverty to live a life of dignity. “One is where you ask for alms and make it a practice. The other is what I did—knocking on doors and begging for money or food.”
Renuka was six then. The family lived in a village near Bengaluru. As a temple priest, his father earned `1.50 a day, but that was not enough. So, taking Renuka along, he went from door-to-door, begging.
Growing up, Renuka was forced to take up several odd jobs. He has worked as a security guard, a pandit and a driver. “While working as a driver, I resolved to open my own travel agency. I wanted to give out travel sheets to drivers some day,” he says. And in 2006, he started his own venture Pravasi Cabs. He says, “I saved money driving cabs and bought my first car in 2000. I started doing station and airport drops.”
He mortgaged his wedding ring and borrowed money from his brother-in-law to learn driving and get his licence.
Today, he owns about a thousand cars. He is not only the managing director of Pravasi Cabs, but also a director in four other companies.
He learned things on the job and through workshops.