Amidst news of political conflicts, scandals, economic concerns, social issues, and many more negative events happening around us, sometimes, there comes a little-known story that restores our faith in humanity. A recent example is the retirement of Mr. Joseph Machado, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) driver, who spent 34 years serving in the corporation. More precisely, he had 22 years driving KSRTC Volvos. However, the significance of his retirement is that the man worked all those years without breaking a single rule or putting passengers’ lives in danger. Instead, he earned the admiration of thousands of people who remember him not only as a professional bus driver but also for his bright smiles.
While the retirement of a bus driver seems to be nothing special, it actually tells a lot about the nature of perfectionism, excellent personality traits, and dignified performance. Mr. Machado was not an artist, politician, or tycoon. The man did not spend years working in the corporate environment, negotiating and signing important papers. Yet, the story of his life teaches us about true professionals whose contribution to society is invaluable.
In his famous speech ‘Remaining Awake through a Great Revolution’, the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. emphasized: “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music”. This quote perfectly summarizes the life story of Joseph Machado since he devoted his career to driving the buses, but still managed to earn the love and respect of all the people traveling in those vehicles.
Driving a public transport vehicle requires a lot of responsibilities as one person is responsible for the lives of dozens of other people. Any actions that might cause even the slightest danger to those people should be avoided. Therefore, Mr. Machado demonstrated a lot of courage and professionalism when he served as the bus driver for more than three decades. He made sure that no passengers were harmed and arrived safely regardless of weather conditions, difficult driving conditions, problems with vehicles, or personal issues. People put their lives in his hands several times a year and never had any complaints. This proves that he earned passengers’ trust.
The most interesting thing about Joseph Machado’s performance is his positive personality traits. All the stories published in the press about him highlight his pleasant attitude to passengers and staff members. The former bus driver never broke a smile, was never late for work, and never rushed anywhere. As stated in her autobiography, the American poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou once told people that “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”. Therefore, one of the best characteristics of Joseph Machado is the feeling of warmth he gave people traveling in his buses.
India has a deep-rooted culture associated with Karma Yoga. In particular, it means that everyone performs the tasks assigned to them, trying to do their best, but does not focus on the rewards. According to Bhagavad Gita, people should remember that “You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions” (Bhagavad Gita 2.47). Thus, this is the main philosophy of Joseph Machado as he served passengers for 34 years not thinking about any rewards or promotions.
There is one more important aspect that makes his life story so impressive. Namely, Joseph Machado was diagnosed with heart disease and underwent open heart surgery. Moreover, he spent six months in sick leave before returning to work with full force. The point is that everyone faces some obstacles in their life. However, a really great person will overcome them and continue working. Joseph Machado became such a person despite all health problems he had.
Finally, people can judge the life of a man or woman by evaluating their personal lives and the way they bring up their children. In this regard, Joseph Machado is worth praising because he managed to raise two daughters. One of them works as a software engineer in Dubai, and the younger daughter is pursuing higher education in Manipal. Sometimes, true success in life is not only earning money and having a successful career. It is passing everything good and useful to children.
A heartfelt farewell is undoubtedly the greatest gift that any worker can get. Indeed, titles or positions fade away. Awards and other prizes are also not permanent. On the contrary, being remembered as a good person will be with anyone for life. The fact that he was loved by so many people suggests that true appreciation can be achieved after years of hard work.
When reflecting on Joseph Machado’s retirement, one may realize that society functions due to the efforts of thousands of people like this former bus driver. There are a lot of teachers, nurses, sanitation workers, farmers, and drivers who do their job excellently, although nobody speaks about them. It means that they serve society as they perform their duties properly and provide assistance to millions of others.
In conclusion, Joseph Machado’s story is a perfect example of a professional performer who managed to develop a decent character and become the best in his field for more than three decades. Thus, one of the best lessons learned from this case is the fact that a person should focus on professional performance and try to develop positive personality traits, namely, humility and kindness.
Senior Professor and former Head,
Department of ENT-Head & Neck Surgery, Skull Base Surgery, Cochlear Implant Surgery.
Basaveshwara Medical College & Hospital, Chitradurga, Karnataka, India.
My Vision: I don’t want to be a genius. I want to be a person with a bundle of experience.
My Mission: Help others achieve their life’s objectives in my presence or absence!
My Values: Creating value for others.
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*Dear Dr. Prahlada N. B Sir,*
Your portrait of Mr. Joseph Machado turns duty into devotion. 🙏
You remind us that greatness whispers — 34 years, accident-free, rules honored, ego absent. That’s labor as Michelangelo would sweep streets: flawless, wholehearted.
You framed his life in _Karma Yoga_ — Nishkama Karma incarnate. No chase for titles, only passengers safe. Even an open-heart surgery couldn’t steer him from the wheel. True resilience, true grace.
And his legacy lives beyond the road: daughters soaring worldwide, proof that values outlast miles.
Thank you for this quiet epic. You don’t just write; you anoint ordinary lives as scripture. In honoring him, you give us all a compass: treat each day’s work as worship.
As Maya Angelou knew, you’ve left us warmer, grateful, inspired. 💟
*With highest admiration,*
Reply*A Grateful Reader, Always*.