On the Road with Phyrnaikupar K. Bani

What makes someone stand out in their workplace? Often, it is not the title they hold but the steady way they make things work. For the MegLIFE Project, that is the story of Phyrnaikupar K. Bani, who has been recognised with the Best Driver Award for two consecutive years—2024 and 2025.

Phyrnai joined MegLIFE on August 1, 2023, as the driver of the District Project Management Unit in Eastern West Khasi Hills. Since then, his role has grown far beyond what his designation suggests. With a background that includes a one-year motor mechanic course completed during the pandemic, he brought technical skills and adaptability that encouraged the DPM and BPMs to entrust him with additional responsibilities. Today, he not only keeps the vehicle in top condition and maintains detailed logbooks, but also supports staff by compiling tour reports, assisting with e-filing, coordinating approvals for vehicle maintenance, and joining inspections in the field. He has even been given login access to the Appverse platform, where he records spring discharge readings and contributes to regular monitoring work.

In just two years, he has completed more than 460 official tours, many to remote and difficult project sites. Where roads end and the team must continue on foot—sometimes for kilometres—he does not stay back but walks with them, especially when many of the Village Community Facilitators are women. As he explained, he feels uneasy sitting in the car while his colleagues face steep climbs, rain, or strong winds. For him, driving is not only about transport but about ensuring that the staff feel safe and supported throughout the journey.

Safety has always been at the core of his approach. Drawing on his mechanic’s training, he knows how to handle vehicles in tough terrain and prevent risks. He avoids rushing under pressure, explaining simply: “Their safety comes first always. If we can’t finish the work today, we’ll finish tomorrow.” That clarity has earned him the confidence of those who travel with him.

The Best Driver Award is not just about skill behind the wheel. It recognises overall performance, teamwork, and reliability. Colleagues—from DPMs and BPMs to SPMU staff—recommended him for the award because of his steady contributions, accurate record-keeping, and readiness to take on extra responsibilities that help the project run smoothly.

Phyrnai’s path to this point began years earlier. He first started driving in 2015, working with cooperative societies under the District Horticulture Officer in West Khasi Hills, before spending time as a freelance goods vehicle driver. Later, he drove for the Nongrim Mawkhar Dairy Cooperative Society. When the COVID-19 lockdowns paused transport work, he used the time to train as a mechanic with support from the District Commerce & Industries Centre, Nongstoin. That decision to keep learning gave him a foundation that now serves him well in his current role.

Today at MegLIFE, all those experiences come together. Whether it is handling vehicle records, assisting with spring monitoring, or ensuring staff get home safely after long days, he works quietly and consistently. The Best Driver Award is a recognition of that steady contribution—of someone whose efforts keep the project moving forward in ways both seen and unseen.