Coronavirus has brought the nation to a standstill and daily routines have taken drastic steps to try to curb the coronavirus pandemic. As per latest update coronavirus cases in India has now risen to as per latest update coronavirus cases in India has now risen to 11,55,911, from which 4,02,5888 active cases, 7,24,806 have recovered and 28,113 deaths. India now ranks third, behind Brazil and the U.S. in the daily increase in COVID-19 cases across the globe.
I was really moved by one such story of a women autorickshaw driver who drove 140 km to come to an aid a COVID-19 recovered patient back to her home. The patient name is Somichon Chithung after recovering from Covid-19 was discharged from Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Science in Imphal, Manipur. But the hospitals ambulance service refused to take her home, asserting that she hails from another district.
During these troubling times Eche Laibi Oinam came to aid of the patient and volunteered to drive the recovered patient to her home in the Kamjong district and covering an eight-hour journey. during the interaction with the media, Eche was quoted saying “I was happy that I was at least there for the girl to help, though we were strangers to each other then.”
Her gesture of humanity didn’t go unnoticed and was awarded a cash reward of Rs 1.10 Lakh by Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh. The honourable Chief minister took to social media and wrote Glad to honour and hand over a cash reward of Rs.1,10,000 to Smt Laibi Oinam, an auto driver from Pangei who took the trouble to take the discharged girl from JNIMS covering 8 hours journey to Kamjong on midnight of May 31. She truly exemplifies hard work and “service above self.”
A small documentary has been made on her life titled ‘Auto Driver,’ which went on to win a National Award in the non-feature category in 2015 and was made by filmmaker Meena Longjam. She was quoted saying “The people who once taunted and mocked me, now show immense respect and empathy towards me. Even the traffic police greet me with a ‘salaam’ every day. But the best part is that my sons are no longer resentful. They are happy individuals who cannot wait to grow up and start their careers so that their mother can finally retire.”
Her only aim in life to bring up her children with proper education. Her hard work has come to live as her elder son is pursuing his graduation and aspires to be an IAS officer. On the other hand her younger son has joined a prestigious football academy in Chandigarh.
Laibi Oinam is a living inspiration for women across the nation and following in her footsteps, Manipur now has three more women auto drivers.
Vikramroymehta's Blog 