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| Ramakrishnan, Shornur |
The major police officers and fire and rescue force officers keep in their address book the mobile phone number of Ramakrishnan, an autorickshaw driver plying at the Shornur railway station. The basis for this action is his track record of saving 8 persons from watery grave and retrieving atleast 19 corpses and many implements of crime from the waters.
48-year-old and 5th standard dropout Ramakrishnan learned swimming from his grandfather at the age of 8.
At the age of 12 he became a hero by saving a woman who slipped into the Karuvaramkurissy Canal. The incident that made his name known outside the town occurred in 1984 when he the rescued another woman, Devayani, from the depth of a well. He considers as an unforgettable gift of fate the meeting with this lady after many years and his acceptance of a glass of water from her.
Besides his role as an autorickshaw driver, he is a ward member of the Shornur Muncipality. He had contested as a rebel candidate and won in a four-cornered contest.
Ramakrishnan’s another activity is teaching swimming to young and old. He sometimes demonstrates his familiarity with water by lying on the water and reading a newspaper, swimming with burning torches in both hands without wetting the hair etc.
He has had occasion to be part of rescue teams even outside the district. In 2001 during the festival at the Mariamman temple, Shornur, the dining hall caught fire when more that 250 persons were inside. Although fire force rushed immediately to the scene, they hesitated to go inside. Ramakrishnan wriggled through the flames and shut off the LPG cylinder thus averting a big disaster.
His abiding desire is to join the Fire and Rescue Force.
Courtesy:
S.V.Rajesh (text), Rajan M.Thomas (photo), Sree, Malayala Manorama, May
4, 2008
Contributed by: Administrator
