Slice of life: Likes to work in many cities

UTTAM HALDER, Hospitality sector 

For the last two years, I have been working as a bearer in the hotels here. This is my second job and I am very happy in Chennai—most of the time. I have come a long way-literally. I grew up in Burdwan district of Kolkata, where my father is a fisherman. I was a good student and in my second year of college I realised life is tough. My father thought if I completed my graduation I would get a government job and life would be cushy. It is not so easy to get into government service. My friend was working in Ahmedabad in the hospitality sector and I wanted to do likewise. My father was adamant, I fought with him and left home. But I was determined to prove myself. I did well in Ahmedabad and two years later, I found an opening in Chennai. I shifted here and worked in a nice restaurant on Cathedral Road. In February, I shifted jobs again. Now my parents are happy when they see me earn well and, interact with all the educated people who come to the restaurant. I enjoy waiting on tables, especially when people want to savour the food. Many times, they ask me to recommend a good dish or want to know how a dish is made. When people realise I am from Kolkata, they ask my opinion about Chennai food. The cuisine here is sambar and rasam. In Ahmedabad, it was always chapatti. Bengali cuisine is very vast, so I miss that. However, people in Chennai are very good. In Ahmedabad and Kolkata, one can walk the streets even at 1 am without any worries. In most other cities you feel slightly uncomfortable after midnight. However, I want to work in as many Indian cities as I can. That’s my dream.