Deepak Tirkey waves to his well-wishers after his arrival in Ranchi on Thursday. Picture by Prashant Mitra

Ranchi, Aug. 7: The daylong rain played spoilsport and their object of affection kept them waiting. But Deepak Tirkey’s friends and fans didn’t seem to mind.

City boy Deepak was supposed to arrive today morning by train from Mumbai after winning the TV reality show, Chak De Bachche, last week. A changed itinerary meant that he reached in the evening by car via Chakradharpur.

As soon as Deepak stepped out of his car at Ranchi railway station, over 2,000 children from his Lalalajpat Rai School greeted him by waving placards, colourful balloons and bursting crackers. “The welcome was overwhelming,” said Deepak’s father, Roshan Tirkey who arrived along with his wife Manju, son Mukul and daughter Divya. “Aisa welcome hum kabhi soche nahi the (We never thought we’d get such a welcome),” he added.

“I am excited, but at the same time I am feeling bad leaving behind friends in Mumbai with whom I shared my joys and sorrows,” Deepak told The Telegraph. He hasn’t thought of future plans yet, he said. “Abhi samajh bhi nahi aa raha hain ki kya karenge (I can’t understand yet what to do next).”

Deepak’s classmate Sanee Bhushan, however, has full faith in him. “Deepak Jharkhand ka naam roshan kiya hain. Wo aab Bharat ka naam bhi roshan karega (He has brought glory to the state and will soon make India proud too), the way Mahendra Singh Dhoni has done,” he said.

Members of Punjabi Hindu Biradari led by its president, Gulshan Lal Ajmani, also greeted the boy warmly.

Soon after, the procession left Ranchi railway station along with Deepak in a colourfully decorated vehicle. The procession moved through Hinoo, Doranda, Main Road, Kutchery, Ratu Road and Argora chowk before reaching his home at Dibdih.

Ranchi Mahangar Sarna Prathna Sabha secretary Paras Lakra garlanded him and escorted him to his (Deepak’s) home.

The mood at Dibdih was upbeat as Deepak — in dhoti and kurta — greeted those who came to meet him. “It’s a great achievement for the tribal society that this boy has won such an award, hailing from a small village,” said Lakra.

Asha Kujur, Deepak’s neighbour, who had decorated the entire locality with flowers said, they had been preparing a welcome song and a tribal dance for a week.