Many would have seen him walk the track before the athletes at the Asian Athletics Championships opening ceremony on July 5th. While he was welcomed with claps as he walked past the people who had gathered there to see the ceremony, few would have even realised the effort it took for this 26-year-old to carry the weight of the suit — all of 12 kg.
But the man inside the suit — Upendra Jena (one of the four men who don the suit) — tells you that while it was extremely uncomfortable to wear the suit, the discomfort was worth it since he got such a rousing welcome from all the people who had gathered at the opening ceremony. In broken Hindi, he tells you that the weather in the State during this time of the year is very sultry. "The humidity in the air is a killer. Though there is very little sunshine, the heat and the moisture makes it very difficult for the people in general. Here I was covered from head to toe. But I feel proud that I am wearing this suit," Jena says.
Him being Olly was not something that he had not planned. When it was announced that the Meet will be held in Odisha, he like many other young men from the State came forward to volunteer. All he wanted to do was to, in his small way, contribute to the big event in his State. When he went to the office where names of volunteers were being written down he was told that he would have to wear a suit. "I told them I would do anything that they wanted me to do as long as they wrote down his name in the list of volunteers. At that time, he didn't know anything about the endangered Olive Ridley turtle. "I had never heard of them. It was much later, that I came to know of the significance of the suit that I was going to wear. I felt so proud that I was representing my State and an animal that needs to be saved," the Class XII pass-out says.
The fact that he doesn't have a full-time well-paying job doesn't bother him. His elder two brothers take care of his financial needs since Jena finds his calling in doing social work. "I have a mobile and my brothers take care of other expenses. They have told me to pursue my dream. My mother also supports me and tells me that I should do what makes me happy than be stuck in a job that pays well but makes me unhappy," Jena tells you adding that his family is just as proud that he is Olly.
Jena also toured 22 cities in the State to spread the message about the games and the need to protect the turtle. Wherever he went he was greeted with a lot of love and hugs. People took selfies with him; he greeted with a 'Hi, how are you. I am Olly'.
The Meets ends on July 9th and Jena has just small wish — an opportunity where he can do good for his people.