22-year-old stands on Pune road and asks people to tell him their story

The first time Raj Dagwar stood with a placard on FC Road, he spoke to strangers for three-and-a-half hours

Alessandro has had four careers in his lifetime-research scientist, university professor, business consultant, and now street singer. He is known for sitting with a cup of coffee on busy streets, holding a placard, which reads: "Tell me your story, and I'll give you a dollar". Inspired by a video of the Israeli that went viral in 2013, American YouTuber Karim Jovian also set up a table and chair one day and asked New Yorkers to tell him their story for $1. It was exciting, people were intrigued.

Passersby also stop to take selfies with Raj Dagwar

A similar campaign has now come closer home. A computer engineering student of Pune Institute of Computer Technology, Raj Dagwar wondered what kind of response the initiative would receive here in India. On December 5, he painted a simple placard at his Katraj home, took a Rs 20 bus ticket and rode to Fergusson College (FC) Road. "The pandemic has been hard for everyone. There is not a single person who has not been directly or indirectly impacted by it. I just want to give time to others. I am hearing their stories in a situation where we barely have time for ourselves," says the 22-year-old student.

Originally from Nagpur, the Dagwar family moved to Dubai in 2007. He chose to come to Pune to pursue higher education. But becoming a rising social media star was never on the cards. "On the first day, I stood on the street from 8 pm to 11.30 pm. I wasn't expecting a great response, but a lot of people were intrigued and walked up to me. We chatted, and it felt good. What surprised them was that I was willing to give them Rs 10 in exchange for a short conversation."

Dagwar has suddenly risen to popularity as videos and photos of him holding the placard which reads-Tell me your story, and I'll give you Rs 10-went viral. "My parents found out about it through social media, and were pleasantly surprised, too," he says.

So far, his favourite story is about a man in his late 20s battling alcoholism. "I met him on the first day of my campaign. He said that he had a failed relationship, which led him on a downward spiral. He used to drink every day. His father, who had lost hope of helping him, died. He regretted every bit of it, and went into therapy. After years of struggle, he eventually recovered and he has been sober for long. I gave him a hug. It was surreal."

Critics online scoff, what does he know about therapy! "I don't. I am not a professional, nor do I offer any advise to these people. In fact, I urge them to seek help from a certified counsellor if I sense their problem is serious. I am doing this to spread a little love and hope in a locked down world," he clarifies.

Dagwar has been standing on FC Road every day since. But, he now plans to run the campaign every weekend, when the busy junction is thronged by shoppers. "When I give them a note of R10, I tell them to pass it on to someone else. This way, the chain of kindness will continue, I hope. We will always have someone to hear our stories."

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