Sumitra Devi cleaned the streets of CCL township of Rajrappa, Jharkhand, for 30 years and none living in the colony could have ever thought that her retirement would be so special that people would bow before her in respect on the last day of her service.

On her retirement, her colleagues and neighbours made some arrangements to bid her adieu. There was nothing special and it was quite like another fourth grade employee retiring, until the arrival of three cars that change the scene altogether.

The first car with blue beacon caught everybody’s attention, it was the District Collector of Siwan, Bihar touched his mother Sumitra Devi feet.

Soon, the gentlemen who got down from other two cars followed the DC.

Sumitra’s elder son Virendra Kumar is a railway engineer, her second son Dhirendra Kumar is a doctor and her third son Mahendra Kumar is now the district collector of Siwan district in Bihar.

When Sumitra started crying

When all the three sons touched her feet, Sumitra started crying. The tears of happiness were enough to tell that she was quite happy while her superiors who had gathered there to felicitate her on her last day felt amazed.

“Sahab, for 30 years, I cleaned the streets of this colony, but my children are Sahabs like you,” said the emotional Sumitra, while introducing her children to her superiors in a story published in IndiaSamvad.

Sons tell story of mother’s struggle

While Sumitra’s colleagues felt proud of her and their association for such a strong woman working with them, her three sons also shared some secrets and how her mother made them successful in life.

“Our mother has sacrificed a lot for us. She never let us down and always encouraged us to study and study harder, so that one day we can be officers in any of the offices like this one. I am proud that she’s my mother,” Siwan’s Collector, Mahender Kumar was quoted in IndiaSamwad.

Sumitra’s sons also shared the secrets of their success and how their mother worked hard to give them a good education. They said that all three of them decided to something good in their lives after seeing the mother’s struggle.

Continuous work, despite sons’ position

Despite Sumitra Devi’s son becoming big officers in their respective fields, she didn’t stop cleaning the streets of colony and left her job. Instead, she kept doing her work with utmost dedication and hard work.

“I didn’t leave this job despite my sons being successful because it was this job which helped to educate my children. How could I leave something which turned my dreams into reality,”said Sumitra.

‘Hard work pays’

Mahendra Kumar, DC of Siwan got very emotional while seeing her mother saying goodbye to her job which made  him and his brother officers. While many people there was unaware of this fact and we feeling proud that her fourth grade colleague has achieved so much in life with this small job.

The DC gave an emotional message that was appreciated by all the people present there.

“No job is difficult in life. Everything becomes possible with honest hard work. My mother and us have seen tough times in our lives, yet she never let us feel broken or disheartened. I am proud that we all lived upto her hardwork and expectations,”said the DC.