Nidradaan (Gift of Sleep): A Corporate Social Innovation by Agarwal Packers and Movers for Truck Drivers in India

Abstract

The case talks about an initiative by Agarwal Packers and Movers Limited (APML), a family business enterprise operating in the highly competitive household relocation segment of the Indian logistics industry. The company created driver service kendras (DSKs) to provide Nidradaan: the Gift of Sleep to the truck drivers who ply the length and breadth of the country carrying cargo to the remotest places. The DSKs were the brainchild of Mr Ramesh Agarwal, mentor of APML. With years of experience in the industry, Mr Agarwal was aware of the appalling conditions under which truck drivers in India operate. Many studies have shown that Indian truck drivers face acute sleep deprivation, leading to physical, psychological and performance complications. APML’s own survey found that out of the 139,000 people who die every year in road accidents, 26,678 die of drowsy driving. Additionally, risky working conditions, meagre wages, unrealistic delivery schedules