Jana Sewak M. Sherif

A Mission On A Cycle

Jana Sewak M. Sherif is a unique social worker who loves to commute in Bangalore by bicycle, at the age of eighty five. He says that a cycle is a multi-purpose vehicle; it becomes a walking stick while climbing up and a cycle on level roads. During his visits to various houses of ordinary citizens, dignitaries, like the former Chief Justices, and Senior Police Officers, he may at best accept a glass of water and nothing else as he cycles all around. He has initiated many activities concerning citizens. Excerpts from a tete-a-tete with him:

* What is your background? What motivated you to initiate social work?

MS: I am a retired army officer. After 4 years in the army, I took a mining transport contract for 15 years, transporting minerals from Hubli to Karwar. I started my organization, Unique-1, on the 6th of June 1966 at 6pm in Bangalore. Those days it was very difficult for housewives and the elderly to collect milk. So, I organized a service to deliver the milk, with the help of boys from many localities, with no charge for this service.

* You took pleasure in providing service to the needy. What was your next venture as a pioneer in many services that have become great money spinners now?

MS: Yes, in those days the demand and supply of many things particularly used cars, motor cycles, type writers etc was not organized. I started off by employing people to buy and sell at a nominal commission. Today such businesses are flourishing due to exploitation. Owners of some of the big property and car dealing institutions of today used to be employees of the institution.

* I understand that you started a unique financing system that helped small traders, was it like a micro- financing system?

MS: Owners of small grain shops were borrowing money from money lenders to buy their grains in Hubli and paying high interest rates. I ensured that the money was paid to the financiers after the sale of goods with guarantees of post-dated cheques without incurring any interest payment. A hundred members (small traders) of this scheme were the beneficiaries.

* I have seen you contacting sponsors for cycles and search lights. I was part of this project and I too bought a search light from you. I was also present when you delivered the cycles and search lights to the, then Police Commissioner, Mr Sangliana what prompted you to take up this project?

MS: I observed police constables patrolling around at night and thought that cycles with a search light will be helpful in catching robbers and thieves and to look for them when they are hiding. Hence I collected cycles and search lights from philanthropists and gave them to the police.

* That is very inspiring. Now you are the General Secretary of an Institution called Dedicated Servants of India (DSI) and many retired Chief Justices are in the committee. I believe you started this institution. What are the goals of this Institution?

MS: Bangalore has more than 65 lakhs of a large floating population. The citizens are largely unaware of their neighborhood, giving way to criminals and terrorists who take advantage of this situation. There are around 90 police stations in the city with 70 police personnel per station working in three shifts. In order to help the police, whose strength is meager as compared to the population, the neighbourhood watch system has been introduced with the Community police force. Through the network of the community police (regular social workers), the police get the information about suspicious people committing acts of terrorism and crime. The Community police will also inform the concerned authorities when they find government officials and political leaders living lavish lifestyles, to investigate the source of their funds. Based on such information the police and other agencies can investigate accordingly. This has been implemented in some parts of north Bangalore.

This is in line with Gandhiji's principles of people participation in governance. May this breed increase so that peace and harmony among communities prevail in the country.

* I understand that Dedicated servants of India (DSI) are collaborating with Crime stoppers (India) Hyderabad. Could you please explain this briefly?

MS: Crime stoppers (India), Hyderabad has opened an office in Bangalore and DSI will associate with them. Many crimes go unreported due to the fear of police harassment of crime reporters. Crime stoppers will ensure that the reporter's ID will not be known to anyone which should reduce the crime rates due to
increased reporting and possible conviction.

My aim is to bring back peace and harmony in the Country with Gandhian principles, with a crimeless society.

- Interview by T. Vidyadhar, the Convener of Triward Welfare Associations Federation.