Bhapur: Often, people rest at home post retirement. But 62-year-old Suresh Chandra Tripathy of Mandarbereni in this block of Nayagarh district has defied all odds to earn his own identity by continuing his ancestral business of selling coconuts.
Tripathy is the third of Khaleswar Tripathy’s four sons. Growing amidst financial constraints, he started working at a very young age. He ventured into the coconut business to take care of his family.
Tripathy is not just a coconut seller; he himself harvests
them by climbing trees in far
off villages.
He is well known for his tree climbing skills only in this area but also in Cuttack, Banki, Khurda, Bolagarh, Begunia and other parts. Probably, he might have set a record by now in climbing and plucking coconuts in the shortest possible time.
“I started this thing when I was very young. I myself climb the coconut trees to cut the fruits. Later, I carry them and sell on roadsides. I also home-deliver whoever orders for coconuts,” Tripathy said.
However, coconut business does not help him round the year. It is fetching only during summer. So, Tripathy has to struggle for a living during other seasons of the year. He pitches in to work as a daily wager to earn a livelihood for his family.
He thinks old age gives him a competitive advantage as he is not rude to his customers like young vendors. Everyone chooses to buy from him as he is polite. Nevertheless, Tripathy faces several challenges in getting coconut fruits from owners in surrounding villages due to unfair competition.
“This work, in fact, is tedious. I need many things to help me do the work and I am not getting them,” he said.
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