From Indian Army dreams to Mumbai roads, a bus conductor's story touches netizens

Time of India

21-05-2025

Life is made up of fleeting moments—a warm cup of chai, a stranger's smile, a memory that lingers. In the chaos of a city like Mumbai, where time rarely slows down, a kind gesture or familiar face can feel like magic. And sometimes, a man in a uniform, collecting tickets day after day, ends up becoming a silent thread in hundreds of lives. That man is Deepak Rajgire , who spent 33 years as a Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) bus conductor in Mumbai, and along the way, built a legacy not of money or medals, but of meaning.In a heartfelt interview with Humans of Bombay , Deepak shared his touching story, a life of service, simple joys, and soulful connections. One of the moments that stayed with him forever was when a pregnant woman boarded his bus, and her father, trusting him completely, said, 'Please take care of her.' That single line made him feel like family. And that's what he became to so many of Mumbai's commuters over three decades: a familiar face, a kind heart, a part of their everyday life.Deepak's journey wasn't always easy. Born in Belgaum, he dreamt of joining the Indian Army. At 18, he came to Bombay to chase that dream. But dreams cost money, and his family, his father a truck driver, his mother, a factory worker, simply didn't have enough. So he worked as a tailor, helper, salesman and made Rs 300 a month, scraping by.In 1990, his life changed when he became a bus conductor. The Rs 3,000 salary brought stability, and soon, love followed. His aunt arranged his marriage to Kalpana. 'It was love at first sight,' he recalls with a smile. They spent Sundays at Chowpatty, shared laughter, and soon, raised a family together. In the rhythm of routes and responsibilities, years flew by.But Deepak's job was never just about tickets and time. It was about people. He made friends in the unlikeliest of places, a regular commuter who one day called him 'masterji' and offered a cup of chai, a young boy dreaming of joining the army whose passion reminded Deepak of his own childhood dream. These moments stitched together the fabric of his life, one conversation, one smile at a time.When Deepak retired this January at the age of 58, he didn't expect much. But life had a sweet surprise in store. His children, wanting to honour his years of service, rented a double-decker bus. They decorated it with balloons and old bus tickets, cut a cake, and took him on a 'Mumbai Darshan' tour, playing his favourite songs along the way. 'They made me feel like my life was special,' he said, his heart full.Over three decades, Deepak watched the city grow. He saw passengers cry quietly into their phones, laugh out loud with friends, share a snack, argue, nap, and dream. And through all of it, he came to a beautiful conclusion—no matter our differences, we are all passengers on the same bus, travelling together on this journey called life.