BC: Y o u m e nti o ne d a bout Mobile Fo od Va n, how
m a n y y e a r s y ou w or k e d on it ? Any pa rtic ula r
e x pe ri e n c e y o u w a nna s ha re w ith us ?
V R: I w o rk e d on M o bi le Food Va n for four y e a rs
(2 0 0 1 to 2 0 0 4 ). I c a n s ha r e m a ny e x pe rie nc e a nd
s to ri e s b ut i f I h a v e to pic k one the n, the re w a s
a ti m e w h e n w e ha d jus t s ta r te d w ith the Mobile
F ood V a n , h a r dl y s e v e n to e ight m onths but in
th os e l e s s ti m e a ls o w e he lpe d m a ny poor a nd
d rug gi s t te e na g e r s .
Drug p a d dl e r s s ta r te d s e e ing us a s a thre a t to
th e i r bu s i ne s s , s o one da y the re w a s a pa ddle r
w ho c a m e to m e a nd s ta r te d a bus in g m e a nd
th re a te ni ng m e s a y ing, y ou guy s a r e fra ud, y ou
ta k e the s e k i ds to y our c e ntr e a nd m a k e the m
w or k l i k e s l a v e s a nd do s om e ille ga l w ork s too
a nd tha t g uy s ta r te d to pus h m e a nd got bit of
p hy s i c a l , bu t w e w e r e told to k e e p it c a lm in this
k i nd of s i tua ti o n a nd tr y to for giv e the m . At tha t
m o m e n t fe w o f the k ids c a m e to tha t guy a nd
s a i d do n't h ur t thi s unc le , he r e a lly he lps us , u
c a n't hi t hi m , a n d tha t w a s a intr igu ing m om e nt
fo r m e , b e c a us e o ur e ffor ts s ta r te d to s how ing
u p.
W e us e d to di s tr i bute pa m phle ts to pe ople w ho
c om e s to o ur v a n, a nd a fte r a lm os t s ix to s e v e n
m o nth s , o n e l a dy c a m e out of ta x i a nd ple a de d
m e to s a v e hi s s o n, I w e nt to tha t ta x i, took tha t
g uy i n m y a rm s , h e w a s tha t s a m e pa ddle r w ho
th re a te ne d m e , h e be c a m e s o thin tha t ha rdly
a ny m a s s w a s l e ft in his body a nd his s k e le ton
w a s v i s i bl e du e to dr ugs . I c a r rie d him to
h os pi ta l , h a bi t of dr ugs le ft him a r o und 2 0 k ilos
i n h i s b od y , w he n he s a w m e , he fe lt s orry a bout
th a t da y a n d p l e a de d, tha t I s hould he lp him to
g e t o ut o f h i s ha bit.
Y ou c a n w r i te a b ook on it if I s a y a ll the
e x pe ri e n c e . . (he l a ughs ..)
BC: Are y o u s ti l l w or k ing w ith Te e n Cha lle nge
NG O ?
V R: Te e n Cha l l e nge i s lik e a fa m ily to m e , the y
g a v e m e c h a nge a nd opportunity to liv e a be tte r
l i fe , th e y c a m e i n to m y life in thos e da y s w he n I
w a s w a n de r i n g i n m y life a bout the ha ppe nings
a nd I s ta r te d to l i v e w ith hooliga n p e ople a nd
th e y br ou gh t m e o ut. So w ha te v e r I a m toda y
b e c a us e of Te e n Cha lle nge , but y e s , e v e ry one
w a nts to m o v e on for be tte r a nd be t te r in life s o,
I l e ft.
I a m no l o n ge r w o r k ing w ith Te e n Cha lle nge but I
a m s ti l l i n tou c h w ith the m a nd w he ne v e r the y
c a l l m e fo r the i r pr ogr a m s , I s till go the re a nd
m o ti v a te pe op l e l ik e m e w ho I us e d to be in m y
y oung e r da y s .
BC: W h a t l i fe s to r y Vinod ! , I c a n't im a gine y ou ha v e
g o n e th r o u g h s o m uc h lik e a r olle r c oa s te r r ide ..
Bu t T e l l m e h o w d id y ou ge t c onne c t w ith bik ing a nd
i ts l i fe s ty l e ? W h e n did y ou le a r n m otor c y c le ?
V R: W h e n I got m y fi rs t a r tific ia l lim b, w ithin thr e e
m on ths I l e a rne d bic y c le a nd s ta rte d ga ining
c o nfi de nc e . O ne d a y m y da d c a m e to s e e m e , a nd
w a s s o ha p py s e e ing m e w a lk ing w i th a rtific ia l lim b,
he s how e d m e the pos te r of m otorc y c le a nd
e x pre s s e d , he w a nte d to s e e m e riding m otor c y c le .. I
to l d h i m Da d, I a m le a rning to w a lk w he re a s y ou a r e
w i s hi ng m e to ri de m otorc y c le s , It's not pos s ible ..
Noth i n g i s i m pos s ible for y ou s on.. J e s us is w ith
y o u. . Th os e w o rds s truc k in m y he a d a nd a fte r m y
da d pa s s e d a w a y , I us e d to a s k pe o ple to te a c h m e
m oto rc y c l e , w i thout e v e n le tting the m k now tha t I
ha v e on l y o ne l e g.
I s ta rte d l e a rni n g m otorc y c le s , but the m a jor
c h a l l e ng e w a s to ba la nc e w ith m y a rtific ia l lim b. In
ba nd ra re c l a m a ti o n, I us e d to le a r n m otorc y c le s ,
I d e l i b e ra te l y s te ps dow n m y a r tific ia l lim b dow n on
th e grou nd s to b a la nc e bik e , I us e d to c ount 1 ,2 ,3
bu t be fore I c oul d r e a c h c ount 7 , I us e d to fa ll w ith
bi k e , th i s ha pp e ne d till a lm os t a m onth, pe ople us e d
to l a u gh a t m e , tha t he ha s nic e body a nd a ll but
c a n't h a n dl e a b i k e , but the y didn't k now I ha v e a
a rti fi c i a l l i m b be c a us e I us e d to c ov e r it w ith
m y trou s e r s . But w ith G od's gra c e I le a r ne d
m oto rc y c l e a nd e ngine e re d m y m ind how to ba la nc e
i t w i th m y a rti fi c i a l lim b.
Th os e w e re the d a y s , I didn't k now a bout a ny r iding
c o m m u ni ti e s o r a n y bik e r s c lubs but s low ly s te a dily
I s ta rte d ri di ng a nd now riding m oto rc y c le s ha v e
be c om e m y l i fe a nd m y pa s s ion. Now I don't s hy
a w a y tha t I h a v e a a rtific ia l lim b, a nd I don't e v e n
c o v e r i t thro ugh trous e r s or a je a n.
I c oul d l e a r n to ri de m otorc y c le s be c a us e of m y
Da d's m oti v a ti on .
BC: Do y o u m i s s y our DAD ?
V R: E v e ry da y w he n I ride m otorc y c le I m is s m y
Da d, be c a us e h i m I le a r ne d bik e s .. I w is h he
c o ul d s e e m e r i di ng, toda y if he c ould s e e m e
ri di ng th e n h e w o uld ha v e be e n s o pr oud. I w is h
he c oul d s e e the re s pe c t a nd a c hie v e m e nts I got
th roug h ri di ng, a nd the lov e w hic h I ge t from
bi k e rs c o m m u ni ty a nd the c lubs .
Th i s a l l c ou l d h a ppe n w ith m e jus t be c a us e of
m y Da d. I m i s s hi m e v e ry da y .
BC: Afte r y o u l e ft tha t NG O , w ha t d id y ou do ?
V R: Th e fi r s t bi k e w hi c h I pur c ha s e d w a s Ba ja j
Ca l i b e r 1 1 0 c c i n 1 9 9 7 , a fte r I
l e a r ne d m otorc y c l e . I w a nte d to gr ow a nd w a nte d
to l i v e no rm a l l i fe , be c a us e I ha v e le a rne d how
to m a k e y ou r w e a k ne s s in to y our s tre ngth.