A literacy wave is sweeping across porters of all ages throughout the Ranchi railway division.
Taking a cue from railway minister Lalu Prasad's promise to upgrade them to grade IV staff, several among the 90-odd porters of Ranchi and Hatia stations have begun learning the alphabets from kã, khã, gã, ghã in Hindi to A, B, C, D.
"I have arranged primary school books to take lessons from a schoolboy in my neighbourhood every evening," said Naglal Mahto (35), a porter working at Ranchi railway station for the last 15 years.
Mahto, from Bihar's Chapra district neighbouring Lalu Prasad's Gopalgunj, however, never thought it necessary to learn the alphabets and numbers.
Now, he is already able to sign his name.
"I could only sign my name, but did not know anything beyond," said Brij Mohan Ram, another porter who has bought himself books and pens. "Now, I am determined to study a little more. I should at least be able to read newspapers in the next couple of months."
At present, 94 licensed porters 79 at Ranchi and 15 at Hatia work at railway stations in the state capital region. While most of them are literate, about 12 porters have never held a pen and paper.
