He scaled steep hills, crossed pitch-black tunnels, and braved wild animals —all to deliver letters to remote people in Tamil Nadu.
D Sivan The Man Who Braved Forests & Wild Animals To Deliver Mail
D Sivan not just like other fictitious superhero’s who saves lives, but he is also nothing less than a superhero. A ‘Talbalkaran’ (postman) in Coonoor, an exquisite hill station located in the state of Tamil Nadu. He walked 15 Km on every single day for over a decade to deliver mail to some of the most remote villages in the Nilgiris in Coonoor.
On many days, sometimes he has just one letter in hand but he does his duty with all his dedication. He scaled steep, hilly terrains, crossed pitch-black tunnels and braved wild bears and gaurs- all to deliver letters.
Sivan joined the Indian postal services, as a stamp collector in wellington a town in the Nilgiri district, in the year 1985. In the year 2010, he was elected as a Gram Dak Sevak (mail deliverer). The job was never easy but, for Sivan, it was never just a letter, it was much more than that.
He had seen enough to know just how important those letters money orders and pensions were to the villagers. So he never took a day off from his work. He repeated his routine on every single day for a decade. Animal sightings were routine. During one trek, he encountered a herd of elephants.
A mother elephant even charged at him. He was saved by a truck driver who honked at the jumbo. The animals recognise him now, though. They have reached a point where they nod to each other!
After years of delivering words of hope and heartbreak. 66-year-old D. Sivan retired as a postman on March 7, 2020. And he finally got his rightful share of fame when a bunch of young filmmakers Bengaluru-based Arjun Davis, Anand Rama Krishnan, and Arjun Krishna, who are also its directors. decided to tell the story of Sivan’s eventful life. The documentary-movie ‘Tabalkaran’ released on the day of Sivan’s retirement a fitting tribute to his dedication and determination which got widely praised.
As for Sivan, he remains unaffected by fame and is a humble as ever. For him, it’s always been about living a life in tune with nature and that’s the way it continues to be.
As an Indian he will be our superhero without keeping a day off from his duty and who trekked 15km every day to deliver letters.
