Brilliant idea

“Computerwallahhhhhh!”

We all, at some point of time or the other, would have heard, “raddiwallah” or “bhajiwallah” but “computerwallah”?

Well, if you are Puneite, it is likely that you might have not only heard this street vendor but might have chanced meeting him too. A very enterprising old man, it is Mohummad Khalil, who buys and sells computers on a hand pushed cart, shouting himself hoarse in the streets of Pune. Gray hair, dressed in white kurta pyjama, skin baked in the scorching sun, he buys old desktops from homes and offices and there are some who even buy the old ones from him. He sells it dirt cheap – like a ‘3-piece set’ of monitor, CPU and keyboard for only Rs.2500. And what if it does not work? He says he usually takes it back. 

If you evince interest, he takes down your cell number and like the ‘cool’ salesmen in various offices, he actually makes cold calls, asking if you would be interested his ‘latest’ wares. This is recycling at its best and like they say, this can happen only in India! An old man, selling and buying old computers on a hand pushed cart? Who could have thought of this? Everyone is eager to get rid of their old desktops and surely they need someone to buy it? At the same time, there are the economically challenged, who might be able to afford a laptop, so why not a used desktop? What an idea Muhammedji!