Lalit Jhadav : Born of Courage, Kindness and Fire.

In Mumbai, a 30-year-old drifts through life - gentle, polite, and loved by everyone he helps. A walking blessing.

But there’s one rule you don’t break.

Touch his cycle... and the saint disappears. The man beneath doesn’t..

What’s “safety first”? For Mr. Lalit, it’s not a norm - it’s a lifestyle. His job represents being the quiet backbone of a place. It’s not just standing at a gate or checking IDs, it’s caring enough to make sure everyone feels safe. It’s showing up early, staying late, and noticing the tiny things that others miss. It’s being the calm voice when someone’s stressed, the steady presence when things get messy, and the unseen support that keeps everything running smoothly.

Currently Mr. Lalit Jadhav works in Jankalyaan Nagar, Malad (west). He has been in this field since the last 15–16 years. As a security guard, his main duties on the shift is to make sure that everyone feels safe, making sure that the delivery man writes the entry at the gate of the building.

A security job is not a piece of cake as he said "bahut daat sunni padhti hai, jab paani overflow ho jata hai. Log taane marte hai jab kaam ke time pe aakh lag jaati hai", however

he manages to placate them by explaining them what went wrong, moreover how can we improve upon that. As he says,

"Insaan se chota mota galti hota rehta hai. Aapse bhi hota hai.’’

This job is very stressful because it always stresses out security guards about their salary.

Working 12-hour shifts for low pay? Easily one of the biggest stressors, therefore he said that

"Pagar time pe nahi milta hai to, parivaar ke baare mai tension hota hai ki kharcha paani kaise chelaga?"

He grew up carrying tons of responsibility beneath his every breath. He didn’t plan

on becoming a security guard at first. “Duty achha lagne laga... araam tha,” he

laughs, remembering the moment he realised this job felt calmer than anything he’d

done before. His first posting?

“Bilkul theek tha... sab simple, koi tension nahi,” he says with a shrug.

Before all this, he was driving vehicles, trying to make a living on the road.

“Gaadi chalata tha, par rasta hi bhool jaata tha,” he admits, shaking his head. “Kabhi kabhi itna confuse ho jaata tha ki sochta tha... bas, yeh kaam mere se nahi hoga.”

So he came to Mumbai, chasing better opportunities. “Kamaane ke liye aaye the...yahan chance zyada lagta tha,” he says. Over time, the job changed him. What started as a normal duty slowly turned into something bigger.

“Ab log mujhe sirf guard nahi, madad karne waala banda bhi samajhte hain,”

he says proudly - someone who isn’t just watching gates but quietly helping people like a social worker in uniform.

And today, when he stands at his post, he isn’t just doing a job — he’s supporting an entire community in his own quiet way. After all the confusion, wrong turns, and fresh starts, he’s finally found a place where he feels needed and respected. People know him, trust him, and treat him like he’s part of their everyday life. In the end, that’s the real achievement for him - not the uniform or the title, but becoming the steady, reliable presence that helps everyone feel safe.

Written by Kartik Jogennur, Grade 7, Shikha Academy, Mumbai

Kartik wrote this article as a participant of the Media-Makers Fellowship's Nov'25 cohort.