Ghulam Nabi Wani, a resident of Ganderbal district in the Kashmir Valley, has been a transporter most of his life and currently makes occasional taxi sorties for tourists more as a hobby than as an occupation. Nabi, 74, lives with a larger joint family who also own small retail businesses and orchards around their village. He is nostalgic about his days as a truck driver and his road travels across the country, and prides himself in having struck durable friendships in many places beyond Kashmir

Name & Age: Ghulam Nabi Wani, 74

Education & Profession: Class XII (but failed); transporter

Family & Place: Wife and three sons and their families; Wayil, Ganderbal, Kashmir

Do you earn more or less, compared with 2019?

Less, because I work lesser, only as a hobby, but I have few complaints. I make enough to keep me going in relaxed fashion

Do you save more or less compared with 2019?

I earn less so I save less. At my age, what money I make and what possessions I have, I want to enjoy with my wife and family

Have central/state govt schemes made any difference to your life? How?

I am a self-made person, I live off what I have, and I am happy

Do your children go to school? If it’s a govt school, then has there been any change in standards/ infrastructure?

I educated all three of my sons, through school and then to give them additional skills. They are all well-employed, have their own families, and they are capable of running their affairs. We all live together, which is a blessing

Do you encounter more corruption or less in your daily life? Can you cite from personal experience areas where you are directly affected by corruption?

I have little to do with government or public affairs now but I hear that corruption exists just as it always did, they want money for every little thing, they steal money in contracts. This I know of from what I hear, but it is nothing new or strange

Srinagar voted on May 13