The favourite driver of many DC’s on the verge of retirement

Team Udayavani, Mar 28, 2019, 4:55 PM IST

Udupi: Rukmaya Naika (60) who has served as the car driver for 13 Deputy Commissioner’s will be retiring after 31 years of service on March 30^th. Me Naika is appreciated for not having ever met with an accident during the entire period of his service. No matter which new DC has come, he has been identified as their favourite driver.  I his work as a driver, he has acquired great skill in driving the car and its management.

Poor family

Mr Naika entered into the job as a driver from a poor background and has studied only till 7^th std. He started his professional life as a lorry cleaner in Mangaluru during the 70’s. He later became a lorry driver. On Feb 20 1988, he joined as a driver for government vehicle. Since 2001, he has been working as the car driver for the Deputy Commissioner.

13 DC’s

Till now, he has worked as a driver for 13 DC’s including Gaurav Gupta, S R Umashankar, Sham Bhat, Shantaraj, V Ponnuraj, Hemalata P, Dr T M Reju, Dr Muddumohan, S S Pattana Shetty, Dr Vishal R, T Venkatesh, Priyanka Mary Francis and Hephsiba Rani Korlapati.

Originally from Kaniyur village in Belthangady, he is currently residing in his own house located at 76^th Badagabettu near Bailuru Mahishamardini temple.

His wife Vijayabai works as a teacher at an aided school in Adi Udupi. The couple has two sons. The elder son K R  Ajay is employed as a software engineer with Infosys and is working in California USA. Younger son, K R Akshay is pursuing his degree at MGM College.