It was perhaps the most memorable day for Ravindra Saini, one of the biggest self-delcared fans of Team India captain Mahenda Singh Dhoni, who finally made captain cool too to bow down before his dedication. Dhoni on Sunday entrusted Saini the responsibility of looking after his under construction farmhouse in Ranchi.
Before Saini could have planned for Dhonis’ birthday gift this year, he was offered a job on July 4 as a return gift for him.
“This will always remain the biggest day in my life as getting a job offer from him is like a dream coming true which I always wanted and had left home only to live closer to him for the purpose of getting recognised by Mahi,” said Saini.
Saini, hailing from Saharanpur in Uttarakhand, had left his home way back in 2009 to achieve his goal,
leaving behind everything whatever he had including his girlfriend. He has been staying at Ranchi since then with a hope of meeting Mahi someday, doing menial jobs to earn his bread and butter at various places. Presently, Saini was serving as a waiter at a road side dhaba near Deori Mandir at Tamar, some 70 km from the state capital Ranchi.
Saini 28, son of a farmer of Gangos village of Saharanpur, became a fan of Dhoni way back in 2008 when Mahi had hit a six against Pakistan who gradually started liking his hair-style, looks, passion and zeal of winning for the Country which became a turning point in
his life.
“Gradually an interest emerged somewhere in my heart that Mahi must know me personally and call me with my name,” said Saini. “I also wanted that he must also know about my feelings and dedication towards him,”
he added.
“I met Dhoni for the first time at Ranchi Airport in 2009 when I personally
gifted him a handmade album based on his life and career made out of paper clippings,” he said.
Saini finally decided
shifting to Mahi’s hometown in 2012. He came to Ranchi and stayed in a hotel. When the money he came with got spent, he took some menial jobs in that hotel itself in order to make his both ends meet.
When it did not work for several months, chasing his dreams Saini reached Deori Mandir, where Dhoni was a frequent visitor. Initially, he started working as a helper to the photographers at the temple earning Rs 40-50, enough for his bread and butter. When people at the temple started knowing about his passion, they extended all their support which finally brought him job of a waiter near the Mandir.
According to Saini, it is due to the blessings of Maa Daori that he has been able to make his dream come true.
“I had full faith that in Maa Deori, who brings joys to the faces of millions of people who visit her, will also hear my prayers some day and will make such an arrangement for me that I will be able to achieve what I want in my life...and it happened,” said Saini. Saini has been serving Maa Deori for the last two and half years and also used to offer ‘bhog’ every Tuesday on the request of the temple priests, he said.
Saini, has been celebrating Mahi’s birthdays extravagantly regularly since 2008, cutting cakes, distributing sweets and exploding
crackers and has gifted some unique handmade items
relating on his life in the last four years since he has been in Ranchi.
“This time I could not plan anything after getting a call from his side thinking what I will do after meeting Dhoni Bhaiya, what I will say or will forget everything as I usually do each time I meet him,” added Saini.
Youngest of all three brothers and three sisters, Saini will be joining his new job on July 10 on July 10 after which he is not supposed to the media or anybody. Talking on his future plans, Saini said that he will now lead normal life as he has achieved his goal of being near his role model. After being settled on his job, Saini will tell his parents at his home to arrange a girl for his marriage.