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Binoy the Samosa Man: People are so busy looking rich rather than being rich!

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Mangaluru: Imagine this scenario: It’s your usual sunny afternoon in Mangaluru (not in the monsoon of course), and you are commuting on the congested roads that dot the city’s landscape. You are halted at a traffic signal that works sporadically and you hear the clamour of the vehicles behind you to get past you and the red light ahead.

Buses pace the roads of the city gorging on passengers though there are fewer today than there were pre – covid19. That’s because the colleges are still on lockdown.

What nobody knows as yet is that its past your lunch break and your guts are grumbling. And as the sun beats down on you, you make it past the signal and come across the food stall. And this is at Urwa Market in Mangaluru

And they’re lying like ducks on a shooting range lie hot steaming samosas. Their insides all mushy with mashed potatoes and green peas and their outsides a crunchy pastry wrap.

You can’t resist. And you can’t eat just one! Not once you’ve tasted them and found out the price – between Rs: 5 and 10. “A lot of people love their samosas with the onions in the masala,” says Binoy D’Costa the Samosa Man!. There’s a bonus too. Veg Puffs! for those who prefer the fluffier pastry!

It’s not some old withered dude selling these crispy MFSs (Mangaluru Fried Samosas!). It’s a young handsome gentleman who is doing it for a great cause…

Binoy the Samosa Man!

Pre-COVID-19, Binoy a Mannagudda resident, was a happy go lucky youngster, helping out at a famous fast food restaurant in Mangaluru. The restaurant served burgers among other food stuffs, and Binoy had been enjoying their aroma for over six months before the pandemic shut it down for close on three months, after which it said they would manage without him and some others. And so, Binoy was left out in the cold to fend for himself.

While contemplating his future he was witness to something that turned his world upside down. It was another man’s hunger that really prompted Binoy to sell those tasty Samosas at an affordable price. What moved Binoy’s heart will move yours too. In Binoy’s words, “I was in the market during the lockdown and saw a weaver who had no income because they had lost their jobs. He had tied a cloth real tight across his waist, to prevent himself from feeling the hunger. He was drenched by the rain and asked me for food. That is when it struck me I must do my bit for other and by helping others I could help myself.” He describes the people who came running across and jumped barriers to get to the food. “That’s the level of hunger that I witnessed. It certainly moved me.” “I value my customers and I believe my customers must be given value,” he adds.

A hungry man is an angry man. That is a universally accepted truth. And in a restaurant once you place your order, you become impatient with valid reason – you are hungry… And handling those hungry customers is what Binoy learned in his previous employment. It was his manager who told him “if you can manage customers here, you can manage anywhere and anything in life” And Binoy learned his lessons well – to roll with the punches that life threw at him. “Prior to selling samosas, I was actually selling Idlis. I was experimenting to ensure that I don’t end up losing money in the process.” Binoy starts his trade opposite the Urwa market in the City at 8 am and stays at it until he empties his cart.

These yummy samosas are made by a close family member, with love and Binoy’s own savings from previous earnings. “I had some money that I had saved up from my earning before. All I am waiting for now is to get a license for a cycle I wish to buy, making it easier to store and supply more samosas in the carrier. In fact, I really want to expand this venture, by getting more young volunteers to make Mangaluru a place where food is available and affordable for all because that is the most equalizing experience that society can ever have.”

Sharing is caring!

Sharing is caring, and caring is all about sharing. Binoy does both. Share his Masterchef preparations with the public at an affordable price and on Sundays with the needy. “I am happy that God chose me to reach out to those in need,” says Binoy. Binoy, a student, considered working for and with other charitable organizations but instead decided it would be better to approach people directly. Initially, he was mocked, but that didn’t deter him at all. His family stood by him in his charity endeavour as he fed 100-200 people on Sundays.

“My own passion is to create an impact on the lives of people even if I have to overcome a number of negative situations in the process. If I am able to bring a smile on somebody’s face or help him/her wipe a tear, I am satisfied. And that is what I experience every day, doing what I do,” he adds. With time, Binoy wants to build a platform to take his social entrepreneurial venture to the next level, by impacting students’ lives too. “I look forward to imparting digital education, helping them change their lives for better.”

His experience with hunger on the ground has Binoy contemplating the bigger picture and for him it is positive. “Post lockdown, there will arise many new entrepreneurs. India will be a skilled economy and with many opportunities to come by. There’s an opportunity in everything and we must look for it, work hard and stay positive. 5 or 10 years from now, I want to see myself as a person who does not regret that I have not lived and not helped people around me.”

Poverty and hunger will persist so long as money is loved more than life. But man’s inherent love for his fellow being cannot be extinguished completely. It’s too ingrained in all of us bar some. “People are into buying luxury things and are not concerned about giving a single penny to the ones in need. Having money is not an issue with me, but the love for money is. People are so busy looking rich rather than being rich,” said Binoy in conclusion.

Let’s support his endeavors for a better and more equitable society. His Contact No: 8310763977

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Bhuvana Kamath

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