Changing the Narrative: Dade Srinivas, the Unsung Hero Behind the Wheel

Hyderabad, October 28, 2024: This auto driver is different. He is socially conscious. He is ‘Manam Maarali” fame. He is Dade Srinivas.

Dade Srinivas is an auto driver like any other but he is different. He has been writing ‘మనం మారాలి’, ‘We should change’, ‘हमें बदलना चाहिए’ messages in thousands of public places in the city for the past two and half years for the public good and is unknown. Media Junction has recently traced him through a massive effort/hunt and felicitated him through Freemasons.

What is the public image or perception of an auto driver? They are rude, uneducated, and fleece. Ply autos without meters to fleece money. But this little educated auto driver is a change agent. He is giving food for thought to many. He is making many think about his writings. He must have written these writings in thousands of public places in the city in the last two and half years. The medium he uses is very unique–Telephone, electricity poles, traffic islands, any vacant places. He is unknown. He never left any of his contact details on those writings. But a small video made on him by D. Ramchandram, a citizen went viral and his number was traced.

Dade Srinivas, a 45 years-old auto driver, and a resident of Amberpet of Hyderabad is known for his writings, “Manam Marali” on public places—Telephone and electricity poles, road dividers, footpaths, fuse boxes and any other empty places on the road.

Some of his writings are “Manam Marali Dharmam Vaipu(We have to change towards Dharma); Naa desha sthree gowravinchabadali(My country women should be respected); “yuvathee yavakulu maarali sanmargam vaipu(Young men and women should turn to the right path); chedipothunna pillalaku samskaram nerpandi (Teach culture to spoiled children); viluvalatho jeevinchandi mariyu mana desha viluvalanu rakshinchandi(Live with values and protect the values of our country) and many such things.

I do this with meagre earnings as an auto driver. Besides financial limitations, many people object, but once they see the kind messages, they are encouraged. I was also threatened sometimes, but somehow, I managed to carry on, he says.