Big Basket’s Hari Menon books tests for FIL, Tata 1mg delivers reports with tribute to 'Metro Man'

The Metro Man of India, Elattuvalapil Sreedharan, with his son-in-law and Big Basket co-founder Hari Menon. (Right) A handwritten letter written by the delivery team of Tata 1mg to Sreedharan. (Image credit: @harimenon_bb/X)

A routine medical test booking turned into a heartfelt moment when Tata 1MG staff recognised the name of Elattuvalapil Sreedharan—India’s iconic “Metro Man”—and decided to deliver the results in person, along with handwritten notes of gratitude to his son-in-law and Big Basket co-founder Hari Menon.

In a post on X, Menon said his father-in-law had arrived from Kerala to celebrate Onam and handed him a list of tests he needed done. “Without thinking twice, I opened the Tata 1mg app and booked it in under a minute,” Menon wrote. But what followed was unexpected.

Someone from the Tata 1mg team noticed the name and realised they were serving the man who laid the foundation for India’s metro infrastructure. Instead of uploading the reports online, they delivered them personally, accompanied by two notes—one from the regional manager and another handwritten by the team.

My FIL arrived from Kerala yesterday to spend Onam with us. The first thing he handed me was a list of some tests he needed done.

Without thinking twice, I opened the @1mgOfficial app & booked it in under a minute. Now I’ve used the service often enough to know how it goes, but… pic.twitter.com/OCApNAhdRI

— Hari Menon (@harimenon_bb) September 1, 2025

The letter from the regional manager read: “Your contribution as the Metro Man of India has been truly inspirational, transforming the nation's infrastructure and positively impacting millions of lives… Legends like you remind us of the importance of dedication, discipline, and excellence.”

The handwritten note from the team added: “To the man who envisioned and laid the very foundation of these lifelines with his own blood and sweat — thank you, Sir, for making India's metro cities truly metro!”

Padma Shri, Padma Vibhushan awardee Sreedharan, now 92, is credited with changing the face of public transport in India with his leadership in building the Konkan Railway and the Delhi Metro. He responded simply: “Thank you very much for your kind words.”

Menon said the gesture brought a smile to Sreedharan’s face and reminded him why “some brands stay on your list long after the transaction ends.”