Meet the 95-year-old Mumbaikar who has been driving safely for 77 years

If driving licences could speak this one would definitely say Proud to belong to Bhagwatiprasad R Mahadevia On Dussehra Day recently Mahadevia at 95 years old celebrated by welcoming home a new car for himself and his familyThe honourThe Western India Automobile Association WIAA Executive Chairman Nitin Dossa and president Viral Doshi recently presented awards to veteran members for their exemplary record of accidentfree driving Among those honoured was Mahadevia holding a driving licence for the past 77 years The 106yearold motoring body officials cited Mahadeviarsquos ldquodedication and discipline which is inspiring to all road usersrdquoMr CalmMahadevia a Marine Drive resident said ldquoI am very comfortable driving at this age though many people seem surprised I drive till Mahalaxmi unaccompanied after which one of my family members accompanies me in the carrdquo said the 1930born driver who has a few parking challans but no major traffic violation or accident in more than seven decades behind the wheelThis 95yearold says driving can teach life lessons PICSATUL KAMBLEMahadeviarsquos daughterinlaw Parul added ldquoMy fatherinlaw is calm cool collected and confident while driving He has taught driving to his children son Drupad and daughters mdash Kalyani Bhawna and Bhargavi mdash and grandchildren In fact on his birthday last year we had a quiz on him mdash like who knows him best One of the questions was Which skill has he taught most often The answer was drivingrdquo she laughedTrip talesMahadevia said showing his driving licence which was first issued in 1948 ldquoI have driven cars jeeps vans and tractors I have motivated my family members to drive I used to encourage my wife Sudha to drive and participate in car rallies The most challenging terrain I have driven was travelling from Ahmedabad to Dessa mdash a village in the Banaskatha district of Gujarat I had to cross two rivers as there were no bridges and had to manoeuvre the car through sandy river banks and shallow rivers I have driven from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and done road trips in the US and EuroperdquoMachine mechanicsMahadevia recalled ldquoI got my driving licence in 1948 Back then there were very few cars on the road and learning to drive was quite an adventure Cars had no power steering and even starting them sometimes required a crank I learned on a Morris and from the first day I loved the feeling of being behind the wheelBhagwatiprasad Mahadevia with daughter Bhawna at his homeThen roads were narrow but people were more patient One had to be mechanically aware mdash if your car stopped you had to know how to fix it yourself Driving wasnrsquot just about pressing pedals it was about understanding the machinerdquoShifting gearsOf todayrsquos transformation the fit and feisty Mahadevia who is a regular walker stated ldquoFrom old Ambassadors and Fiats to electric cars itrsquos like living through several eras of technology Earlier driving required more effort today it requires more patiencerdquo His message is ldquoRespect the road respect your vehicle and never take driving lightly Todayrsquos drivers have comfort but less patience Everyone seems to be racing against time I wish more people understood that driving isnrsquot about speed it is about awareness Technology can assist but good habits and training make the real differencerdquoGen nextMahadeviarsquos grandson Parantap called his grandfather ldquoan absolute gentleman confident and classyrdquo ldquoWith him I have learnt that driving is not just a pleasure but a responsibility toordquo Mahadeviarsquos granddaughter Priyanka said ldquoMy grandfather taught me driving and instilled a deep understanding of the car I was drivingrdquo while grandson Bhavin added ldquoI learnt how to stay safe while driving and how driving teaches independencerdquoLife lessonsHis daughter Bhargavi claimed her best trip with her father behind the wheel was from Mumbai to Kashmir Son Drupad recounted how for his father ldquoDriving is not about getting to a destination it is about how we show up in the world how we move through life with awareness responsibility and care One day while we were going over driving basics he said something that has stuck with me forever He told me lsquoThe front two car tyres represent Integrity and responsibility Without them you will veer off course You would be unable to steer straight or keep the car stablersquo These he said are the values that guide you mdash that help you make decisions stay grounded and remain accountable for your directionThen he looked at the rear tyres and added lsquoThe back tyres stand for empathy and excellence These are values not literally for the road but in your journey of lifersquo That simple analogy of four tyres and four values became more than a lesson about cars It became a blueprint for liferdquo