Jammi Sri Kumar (second from right) with his team at Sonari in Jamshedpur on Monday. Picture by Animesh Sengupta

Ageing couple, empty nest. As many youngsters settle elsewhere in the country or abroad, a growing number of Jamshedpur’s senior citizens live alone, making simple jobs like paying the phone bill or buying medicines daunting.

But it takes one to know one.

Retired Tata Steel employee Jammi Sri Kumar (68) has motivated five youths to help out senior citizens in Sonari with their daily errands.

A unique free service with a human touch that is a god-sent for the elderly, this grew out of Kumar’s own realisation of what elderly people need.

Kumar lives with his wife Lakshmi, while their only son Sharad lives and works in Hyderabad.

“The service is around a year old. It took me sometime to motivate my team, all members of Nehru Bal Vikas Kendra, an NGO I run. I am very grateful to them,” Kumar said.

Kumar gives out his cellphone numbers (09204750117 and 09430338896) to senior citizens who call him for help, which includes running errands such as buying them medicines, bringing their veggie and grocery supplies, getting their cash from the bank, paying their electricity bills.

Sometimes, senior citizens request an escort to or from Tatanagar station.

“After getting the call, I give the elderly person’s phone number to my team members Raja Ghosh, Raju Das, Ajitesh Kumar, Piyali Chatterjee Ghosh and Mamta Yadav. Whoever is free visits the caller,” Kumar said.

Right now, the team — members have their own vehicles — attends to 32 senior citizens who are living alone.

“Their children are settled outside Jamshedpur, some abroad. Youngsters leave home for studies, get jobs elsewhere. It’s a fact of life,” Kumar said.

Raja said this is a job that makes him feel good from inside. “They can’t go out alone. Even if they wish to do so, there is no one to help them. I take a list of what they need and fetch them from the market,” the Sonari resident said.

Piyali said she often deposited cheques and electricity bills of senior citizens. “Sometimes, I deliver them medicines. They are so happy to see me, they tell me stories of their heydays,” she said.

Rakshit Baal (72), who retired from an Adityapur ancilliary, lives with his wife Ranjana in Sonari. “My two sons are settled in Hyderabad and Pune. My three daughters are happily married. As we are not as active as we used to be, these youths are of immense help to us. May god bless them,” he said.

Another senior citizen added that the group was by his side when he fell ill last month and had to be hospitalised. “My wife Savitri passed away two years ago and my only son is settled in Bangalore. I am back home now because of the selfless service of Kumar and his team,” said Pitambar Mahanta (76), a retired government employee.