Mangalore: Good Samaritan Restores Some Pride of Mangalore


Mangalore: Good Samaritan Restores Some Pride of Mangalore
by Florine Roche
Pics by Dayananda Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore

  • The honest auto driver in his 50’s, is an epitome of sincerity and does not want to reveal his identity to the media

Mangalore, Feb 17: In the last few months Mangalore’s image has taken a beating for the worse.  While everyone one is cribbing about the loss of face and sullied image of our Kudla there are a few incidents that restore the pride of Mangalore.  A Danish couple who are in Mangalore for the last four months, found to their surprise and good fortune that humanity and honesty is still prevalent among people in a city like Mangalore. 

The couple Ulrik Raimund and his wife Sara leave no stone unturned to eulogize the good virtues of Mangaloreans, which the couple had the good fortune of experiencing yesterday.  The couple had left their bag containing valuables in the auto they were traveling and the honest auto driver traced them to handover the same to the couple.  Needless to say the couple was ecstatic not just for finding their valuables but as Sara puts it “we are gladder to find there are honest people in Mangalore”.  








Ulrik and Sara are in Mangalore as a representative of Danish Company Jupiter, which has started an Indian company by the same name, having a contract with Suzlon.  Yesterday, being a Sunday the couple went to hotel Gold Finch to meet their boss and his wife by hiring an Auto from Falnir auto stand.  On reaching the hotel and in the ensuing hurry of meeting his boss the couple just forgot about the bag containing an expensive camera, cash and other valuable documents in the auto they traveled.  On reaching the hotel they went to Kudroli temple with the boss in another auto completely forgetting about the bag.  

Suddenly Ulrik remembered about the lost bag while in Kudroli and with the help of some locals contacted the station.  “I wondered whether they understood everything I said and therefore I called our friend Sanath Kumar Shetty”, recalls Ulrik.  Sanath then took over from them and explained to the police about the incident.  He also contacted Hotel Gold Finch and left a message to collect the bag if anyone were to come with information about the bag.  Sanath then sent his boy to leave a message with all major auto stands and asked the drivers to pass on the message.  

The auto driver in his 50’s is an epitome of sincerity and does not want to reveal his identity to the press.  Nevertheless the Danish couple is impressed and delighted about the entire episode which, they say has enhanced their love and affection for Mangalore.  

Though Sara had visited India (Goa) 15 years ago for Ulrik it is the first time in India.  Sara is a vegetarian for the last 18 years and says “being a vegetarian there is no other place better than India for me”.  However Ulrik decided to take his assignment even before he saw or knew anything about India.  Did Sara influence him to take the decision?  “Yes I did” she replies proudly.  

Though the recent pub attack has brought notoriety to Mangalore the couple are unanimous when they say “walking in the streets of Mangalore we feel more safe and secure here than the capital city of Denmark”.  

Though Ulrik’s job is in Padubidri the first choice to stay was Udupi but the couple chose to stay in Mangalore heeding to the advice of friends and well-wishers and they have no regrets.  “Staying in Mangalore we know what the real India is like.  Though we have gone to Bangalore we never had this feeling.  Our friends feel they live in a big city but we feel being in Mangalore we really live in India”, the couple opine.  

Ulrik and Sara have visited religious and other historic places in the last four months of their stay.  “Kudroli is really fantastic as the entire atmosphere there is relaxing.  Visiting the temple make us respect other religions because we will be careful not to overstep the line of freedom” Sara remarks.  

Given a chance the couple would like to make India (Mangalore) their second home.  For the moment they are enjoying their stay, work and are satisfying their quest of exploring all the fascinating facets of Mangalore.  Finally Mangaloreans have restored some of its lost pride, thanks to the Good Samaritan who came in the form of the auto driver. 

  

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Comment on this article

  • Dr K.R.Kini, mangalore/panvel

    Sun, Feb 22 2009

    It is good samaritans like this auto driver,through honesty who make we all Mangaloreans very proud. That too at a critical time when Mangalore is becoming talk of the nation.

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  • Edward R. Monteiro, Kulshekar, Mangalore

    Sat, Feb 21 2009

    The Auto Driver who returned the bag to the rightful owner deserves all praise. He has made the mangaloreans proud. May he and his tribe be blessed with plenty.

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  • Juliana, Mangalore

    Thu, Feb 19 2009

    God Bless you and you fly the honest man, -the driver of the rick.Mangaloreans are good and Mangalore is good provided every one should decide and choose to be good. Let the media highlight the goodness,sacrifice etc lived in the families, society to be upright people than suicide, murders and other evils to be an overnight public image!

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  • Devaraj, Kadandale

    Thu, Feb 19 2009

    The Auto Driver should be given a Star of Mangalore Award.

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  • A.S.Mathew, U.S.A.

    Thu, Feb 19 2009

    With all due respect to the feelings and fear you have about the conversion (Mr. Manjunath C.N.), may I ask you a question. When India got independence, the only one big party was the national congress. From that party, so many parties were formed, including the B.J.P. Is it a conversion?

    When people change religion, which is the most fundamental right of every person, why you lament about that? If an influential or wealthy person makes his decision to change religion, nobody will dare to bother him, but when a poor person of the slum or any place try to follow a new religion, then it is such a horrible crime.

    My grown up son has a different view about religion than I have about religion, that is his personal freedom. If BJP or any political party is trying to be custodian of one religion, that is a very hard job to carry on besides, that is a totalitarian policy. It is very sad, in India that political parties systematically use religion for political purpose.

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  • lora correa, mangalore

    Wed, Feb 18 2009

    Hats off to him. May god bless him and his family

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  • vincent lobo, mangalore

    Wed, Feb 18 2009

    I am so very happy about the honesty  and I wish all the humanity in Mangalore follow his foot steps and bring love and affection between all religions and support each other in all means of life . good luck

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  • Victor Castelino, Moodubelle/Dubai

    Wed, Feb 18 2009

    This is the real Mangalore in which I was born and brought up. Mangalore has not lost its pride a bit. It was the anti social elements tacitly supported by a spineless administration have tried (but not succeeded) in tarnishing the image. Real Mangalorean earns his living by honest and hard work. He is friendly and very helpful. It is the "outsiders" who are creating havoc. Beware of them.

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  • Manjunatha C.N., Kasaragodu/Bengaluru

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    Val why r u blaming BJP for everything. I dont support violence but you should blame the people who started it all, the people who are indulged in conversions.

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  • Austin Noronha, Qatar

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    Thanks florine for bringing to light the news of the good Samaritan of Mangalore. It has brought back some lost pride, Mutalik & his cronies are responsible for. The Auto driver deserves to be honoured and rewarded. He should not keep himself anonymous. To motivate others to follow his example he should be honoured and awarded in public.

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  • Lokesh Shetty, Mangalore/Abu Dhabi

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    Great man whoever he is , he as made all of us proud, MAY GOD BLESS HIM WITH ALL THE HAPPINESS

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  • Ronald, Mangalore

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    How come he is a good Samaritan?. he is a good Mangalorean :)

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  • SALVADOR NORONHA, Omzoor/Mumbai

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    Although I stay in Mumbai for very long but my heart always in Mangalore. I have no wards to praise the Rickshaw driver for his honesty. May Lord bless him good health long life to keep up the good work GOD BLESS MANGALORE.

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  • Ravindranath Shetty, Mangalore/Sharjah

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    My mangalorean brother made us all proud and demonstrated what is real Indian culture is.. Thanks Daiji for publishing such an encouraging news.

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  • Shareef Moideen, Mangalore/ Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    The auto rickshaw driver is an epitome of sincerity and humbleness we can see some politicians and business magnates publicize their donation in the media and it is the Mangaloreans' duty to commend his noble act.

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  • suman, mangalore, UAE

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    thnx daijiworld for publishing such honest news.yes mangalore is a great city and we manglorian r superb and honest people,s iam proud to b a manglorian. cld u pls publish the name and photo of tht honest rickshow man so tht evryone will known abt tht honest person.manglore is best.

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  • M Sunil, Bangalore

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    I too had an opportunity of working in Mangalore for two years. Presently I am in Bangalore. Infact I found almost all the Auto drivers there in Mangalore to be honest. Here in Bangalore Auto drivers threaten and loot whatever you have and it is a daylight robbery. It is better not to speak anything about what happens in the night. Given a chance, I would like to go back to Mangalore again. Well done Mangaloreans you made India proud.

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  • abubakar uk, ubar\abudhabi

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    Its very clear that an auto driver who showed his honesty is really a great gentleman! because even he denied to publish his name!! he is the really believer of humanity, he deserved blessings..congrats hero.

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  • Mrs Merlyn D'Cunha, Mangalore

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    I really agree with A S Mathew. If the criminals get the front page of the newspapers for doing evil, then why not the the good Samaritans  get their faces  in the newspaper and in front of the world? Daiji world please find out who this good samaritan is and honour him in front of the shameless people who always create problems in Mangalore.

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  • Rolphy Almeida, Udupi/Bangalore

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    The majority of Mangalorian’s are honest. The auto driver proved that. We are proud of you dear driver. May the Almighty bless you abundantly.

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  • Vincent Rego, Derabail / Kuwait

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    Our Mangalore infact is a beautiful place and I really enjoy my holidays to be at home. Its really sad to see Mangalore these days which never had happened before due to the political influence. Hats off to the Rickshaw driver for his honest behaviour which is proudly acknowledged by a foreigner.

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  • HUBERT LASRADO, ANGELORE, MANGALORE

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    This is indian culture, we proud of you.

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  • Sudhakara alva, Mangalore/Dubai

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    Thanks to Florine Roche and Daiji world for highlighting this.we are fed up with reading all negetive about mangalore.As Mr Bob rightly said there are always some bad and rotten apples. There will be some idiots who always create problems.we have to condemn such things, but not writing always negetive about our Kudla.

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  • Charles D'Mello, Pangala

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    There are plenty of these kind of people in and around Mangalore!!!! The bad name to Mangalore is earned to Mangalore by a few hundred uneployed driven by self centrered guys!! Congratulations auto driver and the auto union. Well done.

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  • ravi, mangalore/kuwait

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    Dear Auto driver you made us proud to be an mangalorean.

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  • Anu, Mangalore

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    Yes, As Mangalorian reaLly we should proud that auto driver, it would be better that if you have given that auto driver photo & his name, that every one will know about the person.

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  • JOHN, Mangalore/Bahrain

    Mon, Feb 16 2009

    As rightly mentioned by Mathews, please find out that rickshaw driver and felicitate.

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  • Clement , Bantwal / Doha-Qatar

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    This auto driver really makes us proud and the Forigners are very kind.they have shown us their good culture by visiting hindus Kudroli temple. "this is called western culture" and Mangloreans have good respect all over the world. but b'coz of BJP,RSS and BAJRANGI and its some goondas spoil the soup.

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  • Vasanth Mangalore/Qatar, Mangalore

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    Really happy to hear this news... Mangaloreans are more secure I believe..... Thanks to Sanath Shetty for all his helping hand...

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  • Rashmi Dubai, Mangalore

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    People of Mangalore are really honest... Thanks to the Auto Driver.... and Florine for a beautiful article...

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  • khaleel, Mangalore / Dubai

    Mon, Feb 16 2009

    my heartful thnks to the Auto driver.

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  • U. Prasanna, mangalore/chennai

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    Nice to see some good news among the sene rhetoric 

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  • Dinesh, Mangalore

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    It's glad to see how foreigners find indian culture (temple, vegitarianism) more and more appealing while our youth are blindly following 'Pub/Drug' culture. Jai Hind!

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  • Sam, Mangalore

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    I wish I can reward this good samaritan for his honesty and for upholding the name of Mangalore.

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  • Jimmy Noronha, Bellore, Lucknow

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    Sir, I enjoyed reading the beautiful article and it is needless for me to say that of all the cities that I have been visiting for the last several years, I am yet to come across the rickshaw driver who is as honest and as sincere as the one I get, I just hop in any rickshaw in Mangalore, and believe me he will not charge me a penny more for the confidential ride he offers me. Jimmy Lucknow

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  • bob, mangalore / USA

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    Now that is a great story! Mangaloreans are calm , gentle and honest people. There are always bad and some rotten apples. What makes us unique is our simple demenor , language and the undestanding of multiple cultures. We are honest people- thanks Sanath

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  • A.S.Mathew, U.S.A.

    Mon, Feb 16 2009

    Great news. Even though the auto driver does't want to reveal his identity, the city has to find him and honour him in public for his honesty. If the criminals get the front page of the news papers for doing evil, the good Samaritans need to get their face in the news paper and in front of the world.

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  • chinnu, mangalore

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    Well said Mr Val, m'lore.BJP spoiled the reputaion of mangalore by their goondas like bajrangdal and rama sena.shame on BJP

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  • Anil, Köln Germany

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    Incidents like this makes reputation of the city towards positive Heights... Dear Mangaloreans be most Helping whenever there is someone outsider visits mangalore. For e.g. rightly guiding them and speaking to them politely etc....It feels proud being Mangalorean.

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  • Val, M'lore

    Tue, Feb 17 2009

    This example makes us proud.  Manglorean are peacefull, trustworthy as well as hardworking we have good reputaion in Mangalore as well as abroad.But because of BJP and its goondas spoil the soup.

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Title: Mangalore: Good Samaritan Restores Some Pride of Mangalore



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