Watch: Woman boards car in Chennai, finds free Wi-Fi, iPads, coffee and a TEDx speaker driving her | Today’s news
A seemingly ordinary commute in Chennai turned into a viral story on social media after a woman shared her encounter with a car-sharing driver whose unique approach to customer service amazed her.
The story was posted on Instagram by @the_dharani_theory who narrated the unexpected ride in Sholinganallur. According to the woman, what at first appeared to be a regular rideshare turned out to be unlike any public transportation experience she had encountered before.
Once inside, she noticed that the vehicle was equipped with a variety of amenities more often associated with premium travel services than driving around.
Read also | No sick days, 10% pay cut per personal day: HR walks away impressed
Magazines, iPads, coffee and even free Wi-Fi
The woman described the experience and detailed the many amenities available to passengers.
“I met this auto anna at Sholinganallur while I was waiting for my bus. The moment I got into the car I was practically stunned by what I saw.. To my left were newspapers and magazines – from Frontline, Femina, Outlook to UPSC preparation magazines, all current. There were two ipads in perfect working order, a box of chocolates for all passengers, free coffee and a bottle with the offer, a price tag for nurses, paramedics, teachers and doctors.” His playlist ranged from Shakira’s “Anytime, Anywhere” to devotional songs by Murugar. Anna speaks 7 languages, laughs loudly and does cute dances while taking his sari.”
The post highlighted not only the amenities available in the car, but also the cheerful personality of the driver, which seems to have left a lasting impression on passengers.
Read also | Candidate deletes Uber interviews, takes MacBook, then disappears without a trace
A surprising discovery about the driver
The story took another unexpected turn just before the woman got out of the vehicle.
According to her account, another passenger recognized the driver and revealed that he was well known in professional and academic circles.
“Just as I was about to get off, the passenger, who was a corporate worker, said she knew him two years ago when she invited him to her college as the chief guest. It took me a few minutes of conversation to find out that Anna was a seven-time TEDX speaker and had spoken at companies such as Google and Microsoft, recognized for his hard work and dedication to making something as simple as driving a shared car an experience of a lifetime.”
The woman also recalled an interaction that further reinforced the driver’s reputation for generosity.
“He asked me what I did for a job and when I said I was a teacher and a doctor he refused to take a single cent from me – even though I insisted.
A lesson in commuting
While the equipment and accomplishments stood out, the passenger said the biggest takeaway from the ride was the driver’s perspective on work and life.
Reflecting on the meeting, she wrote:
“That day made me realize one thing. While we all complain about our jobs, anna taught me how you can be successful in anything you do if you love it enough, give 100% even on bad days and work like an honest man. Thank you @auto_anna for a ride to remember.”
Her post quickly resonated with users online, many of whom said the story served as a reminder that passion and determination can make a difference regardless of profession.
Read also | Kebab not grilled properly: BBQ restaurant refunds ₹1.5 million
The Internet Applauds ‘Car Anna’
As the post went viral, social media users flooded the comments section with praise for the driver, identified as Annadurai, popularly known as ‘Auto Anna’ on the internet.
One user wrote: “True luxury isn’t a vehicle. It’s traveling with people who spread love, respect your presence, and make every moment feel rich.”
Another user shared a personal memory of traveling with him.
“I don’t know if he remembers me, we talked a lot mainly about cats 😄 I’m honored to have traveled to work with him twice, he’s such a treat to talk to.”
Others said they met him years ago and were pleased to see him continue to innovate.
“He’s such a good guy, he traveled twice in his car in 2016-2017. Glad to see all these new upgrades,” one person commented.
Another user summed up the sentiments shared by many viewers: “Seeing a man who truly loves what he does.”
One commenter was particularly impressed by the feature, which is rarely associated with public transport.
“Bruh provides free Wi-Fi in automatic mode,” the user wrote.
