[DRIVOBLOG|➨]™

Interview in NAMADHU NAMBIKKAI Tamil magazine, Issue: Oct 2011

H V KUMAR
A Journey spanning over 8 lakh kms
Our nation’s mobile atlas
Exposed innumerable routes to fellow travellers
He knows all the national highways are like the back of his hand
He is called the Living GPS

It is not possible to pose the usual interview questions to him. His perspectives on life and his achievements are very different. Wherever one calls from in India, he will suggest the best route within seconds. There were 3 phone calls enquiring about routes within moments the interview began! As he suggested routes to them, he kept answering our questions in between.

What is your background?

I was born and brought up in Kerala. I am a Chartered Accountant by profession. In those days, there was no travel culture, holidays or tourism. In my younger days, I loved walking long distances. After I bought a cycle, I distances I covered increased. On completing my studies, I worked for auto company Ashok Leyland, and then in Premier Mills, which is when I bought a mobike. From that day on, wherever I went, it was always on my own vehicle. I had to travel a lot on duty. I ended up riding to places like Erode, Salem, etc. The first time I went to popular tourist destinations like Kodaikanal, Bangalore, Ooty and Tirupati, it was in my own bike. People were astounded, “What is this, this man is going by bike everywhere!”Soon there was this talk amongst my circle of friends. “You want to go some place? Don’t you know the route? Ask Kumar“! Later, this became my identity! What started as a leisure activity is now a part of my life.

Everyone loves to travel in their own vehicles – in what way do you think you are different?

I don’t feel like differentiating myself from others. However, all the last 26 years of travel is completely documented – I’ve created an encyclopaedia of where I went, how I went, where I filled petrol, which hotel I had food, how many check posts I crossed and similar information. It is these notes that help me guide anyone who calls me for help during their drives from any place. Besides this, I have maps for each place and also keep myself apprised of information on the current situation like weather conditions, road conditions, etc. Perhaps, since I am an accountant, I have the temperament to document and analyse such info and it comes easily to me! Many regard me as an authority on roads in India, especially South India since I know the south Indian roads very well. I guess I can answer queries about routes to anywhere even in my sleep.

Does not all this travel by road make you feel tired and impact your day to day life?

Why should one feel tired? I can drive even 55 hours continuously. When I started to drive around the country on the mobike, I was a salaried employee. If I ask my boss, “I want to ride, I need leave”, he might surely decline! Nevertheless, I believe that you can make as much time as you want to pursue what you are passionate about, in the same way you can work as much as is the work thrown at you. In those days, on completing my work at 5 pm, I used to set off on long drives. I used to plan my trips over the weekends as well. I am a smart person at work too! The way I plan my traveI, work and personal life, there was no impact in my day to day life. After marriage, my wife too understood me.

On one occasion, when I driving on the highway, I skid, fell and fractured my hand. My friend and his wife visited me in the hospital and and enquired about the best way to go to Kovai. They were stunned when I suggested they go by mobike! What’s more surprising is that, they heeded my advice and went by mobike despite the fact that the advice came from a person with a broken arm!

You start your journeys after office hours. You also travel on many weekends. Doesn’t your family miss you in all your achievements?

In the first place, this cannot be termed as a achievement or a milestone . Can you say brushing teeth, eating food are all achievements? These are all necessary parts of life. Likewise, whatever we like we should have that “activity” as well. Whatever we have not attempted, and others have completed, we think it is a achievement.

As per me, everything is possible. My wife sometimes gets fed up at these activities of mine. “What is the point in doing this”, she has complained to me sometimes.

What you take away is not the complaints, but the level of complaints. I realise that beyond the complaints, the level of understanding between us is higher. Just because I do things differently does not mean I don’t earn. I earn for a living too.

I started my career basically as an accountant. Today, I run my own firm called Crestar. I’m a consultant to various leading international organizations. My family will not miss my absence. Because I complete my duties as a husband and a father. I take care of all my child’s needs. As I mentioned earlier, we all have enough time to do everything.

Later, because of my job, I relocated to Bombay. Those days, I rode my mobike even to places like Darjeeling, Sikkim and Bhutan. I have discovered out routes to go there all by myself. During those adventures, there wasn’t even basic amenities like proper toilets. I’ve slept on platforms near trucker’s dhabas. We didn’t have much communication facilities either.

Those days, we did not have a telephone at home. I had to do a PP call to my neighbour. Whenever I find a telephone on the highways, I’d make a quick call to just let my family know I’m fine.

Indians feel holiday is meant for getting up late, going with family to someplace. Stay, eat, do sightseeing, sleep there etc. I never wanted to be constrained by such things. I don’t like to have constraints like reaching designated place on time, whatever one has set out to do should not be hampered etc. I don’t like to be under pressure for such things. Once on a journey, I stopped at a fuel station 3000 kms from Bombay. The pump person, astonished by my marathon journey, offered me free petrol. I went to a museum enroute. On seeing me coming by bike, people there were astonished. They welcomed me with warmth. I feel that experiencing things that unfold naturally and true happiness gives the lingering feelings.

You have travelled to faraway places like Arunachal Pradesh, Bhutan, Kashmir, etc all alone- where you never afraid or anxious?

Not only to these places, but I go to most of the places mostly alone. Often, others would want to accompany me, but when I start out, I hear excuses from them that their parents are not permitting, they fell ill and so on. I don’t like to wait for anyone. Sometimes, my wife would want to come along, But when her work schedule interferes, I get on with the journey, even if she’s unable to join me.

There are uncertainties and concerns in many states in India and places like Bhutan. On many occasions, I have been stopped by cops. I was travelling through Kashmir when terrorism was at its worst. At such times, I think of this: However capable person I may be, it is only till I get out of my house. The moment I step outside, I’m an ordinary person. I cannot throw my weight or authority I enjoy at home, around at policemen or terrorists. I’ve learnt to take things as they come, subdue ego, learn like a student, see the world, talk the local lingo, and to overcome obstacles on the way. However I can’t wait till such, uncertainties end. My journey continues irrespective of issues.

You mentioned that you have documented all your travel details. What other activities do you do?

Where am I currently? How do I reach my destination from here? I have elderly people with me, Do we have hospital facilities in this route? I’m travelling with ladies, which would be a safe place to stay? Around 20-30 such queries like this are posed to me daily by email, phone and though online forums from different parts of India. I feel delighted to help people who pose such queries to me. (Kumar reads out an SMS he received then, “Hi Kumar, in motorcycle from xxxx highway. Reached hotel. Million thanks” even as he was speaking)

I have also done theme trips many times. I’ve have organized and undertaken group trips with people I know and those who I get to know through various online forums, on themes like driving from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, visiting places of historical and ancient literary significance etc. Further, when we go on a journey, I also try to find out what construction or repair work is going on in the highways, specific rules to be followed in different States, location of the toll gates and amount of toll payable, and so on and document these. I share this info with all, including updating it in my Face Book forum. What is unusual or extraordinary about this – won’t you teach your children whatever you know when they prepare for their examination? I derive the same happiness in sharing what I know with all.

You keep referring to “WE” and “US” – do you have a team of people to help you to collect and analyse such info?

In the year 1995, I bought a car (and before that, a mobike in 1986). From then on, I always travel by my car only. My friends often ask me, “is your family the car and the bike only”? What I refer to as “WE” and “US” is only my car and my bike. WE work as a team, there is no one else.

You earlier said that you do not plan your trips. But in our society, planning trips is a serious affair. You do not follow time management practices?

I view this differently. That is my belief. I always believe that at the destined time, I would be able to find a place to eat and board. This belief is the reason. I only state that one shouldn’t be dependant on prior arrangements on some random day, temporarily. However to reach this level of confidence, there’s years of hard work. And there’s years of stringent time management behind it. I always plan on what time to start on a journey, what average speeds are possible and should be attempted, before embarking on any journey. In fact, people who travel with me call me an “army man” for my stringent enforcement of drive plans. Planning and time management is very important for journeys. For example, if I’m driving from Mysore to Coimbatore via Dimbam, I need to ensure that I cross before dark. Else after dark, the wild elephants and bisons have a party time there. Likewise, when you drive through Kashmir, you will face lots of uncertainties if you don’t keep your timings.

Recently, I’d arranged a trip to Ladakh, leading a team of 28 people. Roads there are so dangerous that they leave no margin for error. Only 14 of the 28 completed the complete itinerary planned, the rest could not, it was too strenuous maybe.

When on a drive with me, I expect people to adhere to the planned timings. If they want to keep to the regular timings of waking up, feeding or answering natures call back at home, I don’t wait for them. I move at the planned time asking them to continue eating. The drive plan is most important, everyone on the drive has to return home and to their work safely on the designated date and time. Lot of research and hard work is required before and during every long drive. Since I have that work and belief, I don’t feel the necessity for temporary prior planning on random trips.

Can you tell us more about your profession and other achievements?

Most of us work within a comfort zone – start a career at 24 years of age, get a monthy salary from a good company and retire at 60 years with a pension. Not many would like to explore different avenues.

I started my career as a Chartered Accountant, rose to a position of Financial Controller at a very young age. From an auditor, I became a merchant banker and then went on to start a renewable energy consulting company. It doesn’t mean that I never faced any obstacles. I’ve faced unsurmountable obstacles, that I’ve crossed. Ups and downs are part and parcel of everyone’s life, I’ve never felt the obstacles are a big thing.

Today, thanks to my knowledge about Indian highways, companies that makes maps and navigators, have started inviting me to help them in the capacity of a navigating consultant.

What are your future plans?

I started my life at some place and am now at some place else. I wouldn’t have a strict plan on future course of action and would like to take it as it comes. However, I have a wish to drive abroad too like I’ve done on Indian roads.
What would you like to tell youngsters who try industriously to succeed?
The current generation is unlike the previous generations. They have more opportunities. They earn handsomely. Young couple of current times, work and toil together and earn together too. They have a lot of courage to accomplish what they set out for. If one has the conviction, dedication and unending desire in their quest for achievements, achievements just become another milestones that they cross.

With these closing lines, Kumar completes his interview.

–
Translated by Mani Sriganesan
Inputs by Haripriya Ramesh
Facilitated by Jayasekaran PIllai