Kamal Ghorui
In a city where most rides blur into one another, this one didn’t.There were no loud signs or anything designed to draw attention – just a single line written inside an auto-rickshaw, easy to miss in the rush of everyday travel.“I am also someone’s father and brother. Your safety is important to me. Sit down without any worries.”For content creator Unnati Devaliya, it was a fleeting detail – until it wasn’t.
Spotted at the last moment
Unnati was in Pune, visiting relatives in Kharadi. After a routine outing, she and her group booked an auto from Yerawada. The ride itself felt like any other. It was only while getting down that the line inside the vehicle caught her attention.“We noticed it right at the end,” Unnati told The Times of India. “It just felt very genuine.”They recorded a short video and moved on, not expecting it to go any further.But hours later, the words came back to her.“It stayed with me,” she said. There was something very simple and honest about it.
Why it struck a chord
When she shared the video, the response went beyond what was visible.
Watch the video here:
People connected with the feeling behind it – the quiet reassurance. Not because it stood out in an obvious way, but because it reflected something many don’t always experience during daily commutes: a sense of safety without having to ask for it.Even as the clip began circulating widely, Unnati found herself thinking about the person behind the message.“This wasn’t just about me posting something,” she said. “The real credit belongs to the person who wrote that line.”
Finding the person behind the words
At first, she had no details about the driver.No name, no contact – just a brief interaction that could have ended there. Instead, Unnati reached out to Rapido on Instagram, asking if they could help identify him.They eventually connected her to Datta Rumale.“When I spoke to him, he sounded genuinely happy,” she said.He isn’t active on social media. It was his wife – who creates content – who came across the video and helped trace it back to him.
A visit that added context
Unnati and her companions later visited Rumale at his home, carrying a cake as a small gesture.
They met a family living a modest life. Rumale stays with his wife and their two children. The home was simple, and the interaction felt easy and warm.“They were very humble and kind,” she said.In conversation, the family spoke about their routine – how work can be unpredictable, and how finding passengers often means travelling a few kilometres before the day properly begins.There was no complaint, just a straightforward account of their daily life.
A gesture that stayed
On their way back, the driver dropped them at a bus stand.They offered ₹100 as fare. He hesitated before accepting it. A few minutes later, he returned – with two bottles of water and the remaining change.“It was unexpected,” Unnati said. A very small gesture, but it stayed.
More than just a viral moment
There’s little about this story that fits the usual idea of something going viral.No spectacle. No performance. Just a sentence, written without expectation, and the intent behind it.But perhaps that is exactly why it resonated.Because it reflects something so real, yet often overlooked – the value of feeling safe and treated with care, even in the most ordinary moments.And sometimes, that is enough.Photos: Courtesy of Unnati Devaliya
