In an effort to teach his son the importance of struggle behind success in life, a Gujarat diamond merchant and proprietor of a Rs 6,000-crore company based in Surat with presence in 71 countries, convinced his son to go to Kochi and survive on odd jobs for a month.
According to a report in The Times of India, Dravya Dholakia, aged 21, is pursuing MBA in the US and is currently on a holiday in India. With just three pairs of clothes and Rs 7,000 given by his father for emergency, he arrived in Kochi on June 21.
“I gave him three conditions: I told my son that he needs to work to earn his money and he couldn't work at a place for more than a week; that he can't use his father's identity nor use the mobile phone nor Rs 7,000 taken from home for a month. I wanted him to understand life and how the poor struggle to get a job and money .No university can teach you these life skills except experience,” Dravya’s father Savji Dholakia was quoted as saying in the report.
Savji, proprietor of Hare Krishna Diamond Exports, had grabbed media’s attention after his diamond firm gifted cars and flats to employees as bonus.
Dravya willingly accepted the challenge to go to a place he was not familiar with and neither known the language spoken there, and search a job.
“He decided to come to Kochi as he didn't know Malayalam and Hindi is not commonly spoken there,” said Savji Dholakia.
Dravya told about the struggle he faced during the first few days, when he was rejected multiple times and did not have a place to stay.
“For five days I had no job or proper place to stay. I was frustrated as I was rejected at 60 places, as no one knew me here. I understood what is rejection and the value of a job in these few days,” he said.
Dravya, who lied to the employers that he is a class XII student and belongs to a poor family in Gujarat, first got a job in a bakery. He then worked in a shoe shop for a few days and later joined McDonald’s for a monthly salary of Rs 4,000.
“I never worried about money and here I was struggling to get one time meal worth Rs 40. I needed another Rs 250 per day to stay in a lodge,” said Dravya.
“I met him at the bakery and liked him. I gave him my visiting card and offered him all help.However, as my colleagues warned me against employing him, I wouldn't respond to his calls. On Tuesday , I received a call from Dravya's company CEO thanking me and informing me of Dravya's journey,” said Sreejith K, a finance manager who met Dravya.
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