At the age of 98, when most people are bedridden, Mohan Behera from Sunabeda has justified the adage - ‘age is just a number’. With a youthful kind of vigour, he is still running his 60-year-old cycle repairing shop. At this age, his intense energy and workaholic nature even surprise youngsters.
Age has never weakened Mohan's spirit. A native of Sindhigaon in Ganjam, he came to Sunabeda in search of livelihood and started his cycle repairing shop in 1963. The town has undergone a sea change over the last six decades. However, his passion for his profession has not waned, even a bit.
Mohan sincerely opens his shop with the same kind of eagerness and energy throughout the year and repairs cycles with his skillful hands. Though he had got many job offers in his youth, his passion was repairing cycles and he pursued his passion sincerely despite many kinds of difficulties.
“I had many job offers during my youth. However, my passion was repairing cycle. I learnt the skill gradually and made it my profession. I have been doing the job with full dedication and determination for the last six decades,” said Mohan.
Mohan’s punctuality, sincerity and passion for his work have inspired many people in the locality.
“Though Mohan ‘Bapa’ is too old, we have never seen him to be tired or take leave. He is very punctual and sincere. Many people have been inspired by his good qualities,” said Manik Thikadar, a local businessman.
Mohan has two sons and both of them are businessmen. Despite this, he has never stopped coming to his shop because he doesn’t prefer to depend on others. He loves to be self-reliant and this is the main reason why he is still running his cycle repairing shop with the same kind of passion even at this age. The use of cycles has become a bit outdated, but Mohan’s zeal for his work has not waned a bit. So far, he has trained 50 persons who have set up their own repairing shops and are earning their livelihood.
“He is very hardworking and a nice human being. May God bless him with a long and healthy life,” said a local resident.