Hindustan Times - Brunch

Aditya Sharma

The Rajasthan-based teen wins for raising funds online to buy a bike for a food delivery agent

- By Urvee Modwel HT Brunch

People order food pretty much every single day, but how many of them take the time to stop and talk to the delivery agents, or even offer them a glass of water? Even though much has already been said about how most food delivery agents work supremely long days trying to make a living, it’s still a hard life.

When 18-year-old Aditya Sharma, a grade12 student who lives in Rajasthan, ordered lunch, it was just another day. However, he was stunned when he realised that the man delivering his food was using a bicycle to travel, in 42-degree heat.

He took the time to enquire why he was using a bicycle and the 31-yearold delivery agent, Durga Meena, told Aditya that he wanted a bike, but could not afford one yet and was trying to save money to get one.

P Raised right

Aditya took to social media and tweeted about how Durga was delivering food in the heat, and asked people to donate money, the end goal being ₹75,000, the down payment that was required for the bike. The tweet went viral within one day, getting thousands of retweets and comments, and Aditya overshot his goal, managing to raise ₹1.4 lakh.

“I had zero expectatio­ns that this tweet will go viral within three hours and I had to close the crowdfundi­ng. I thought it will take seven days to reach 75k!” exclaims Aditya, whose friends and family couldn’t believe what was happening. “They are so happy and proud of me,” Aditya says.

“I HAD ZERO EXPECTATIO­NS THAT THE TWEET WOULD GO VIRAL WITHIN THREE HOURS AND I HAD TO CLOSE THE CROWDFUNDI­NG” —ADITYA SHARMA

Dream on

Durga got his bike within 24 hours. “He was so emotional [when buying the bike] that he couldn’t speak words to me and everyone surroundin­g him in the showroom,” reveals Aditya. He’s still in touch with Durgaji, as he calls him, and speaks with him once a week. As for what’s next for Aditya, well, he plans to finish school, and continue to crowdfund to help people in need.

urvee.modwel@hindustant­imes.com Follow @modwel Instagram and @UrveeM on Twitter Who should be the next Social Media Star Of The Week? Nominate using the hashtag #BrunchSoci­alMediaSta­rOTW or email htbrunch@hindustant­imes.com

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 ?? ?? Aditya Sharma (top); Durga Meena after buying his new bike; (inset) Aditya’s post about Durga (below)
Aditya Sharma (top); Durga Meena after buying his new bike; (inset) Aditya’s post about Durga (below)

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