“The doctor and engineer brothers and sisters tried to drive their elder brother, the ‘illiterate farmer,’ out of the house, calling him a slut, but when the district collector came and touched his feet, it was revealed that his degrees worth crores were the charity earned by that same farmer’s sweat!”

The gathering was taking place in the old mansion in their ancestral village. Ricky, the youngest brother, an engineer, arrived in his shiny new Ford Endeavour. Next came Sheila, a doctor, in her Fortuner. And then came Ben, an accountant, in his Honda Civic. They were all showing off their cars and their advancements in the mansion’s garage.

“Wow, Ricky! New car? What a thing!” Sheila said. “Yes, Didi, I’m a project manager now. And your car is so shiny!”

Just then, their eldest brother, Carding Bhaiya, arrived. He was riding his old “kuligali” (hand-operated tractor). He wore an old, faded shirt, a turban on his head, and heavy boots caked with mud. The other siblings looked at him with disgust.

“Oh my God, Bhaiya!” Ricky yelled. “This is a family reunion, not a farm! Why are you dressed like this? You’re so dirty you’ll ruin the tiles in the house!”

“Sorry,” Carding Bhaiya said, wiping his sweat and smiling. “I’m coming straight from harvesting. I thought it would be too late if I went home and changed.”

“Oh, ho,” Sheila said, rolling her eyes. “Thank God we all studied hard and got scholarships. Otherwise, we would have remained illiterate farmers like you. There would have been no progress.”

“You’re right,” Ben agreed. “Look at us, we drive around in cars. And you’re still living in the smell of mud. I wish you’d worked as hard as we did.” Carding Bhaiya said nothing. He quietly went into the kitchen to help his mother. He silently endured the taunts of his younger siblings.

While everyone was eating, the sound of police sirens was heard outside. A convoy of black SUVs pulled up. The District Magistrate got out with his bodyguards. Ricky, Sheila, and Ben were startled.

“Hey! The Collector has arrived!” Ricky said. “Get ready quickly! These are big connections for my business!” The three siblings ran to the gate. “Hello, Collector!” Sheila said, shaking hands. “I’m Dr. Sheila, here’s my card—”

But the Collector ignored them. He didn’t even look at them. The Collector headed straight for the kitchen where Carding Bhaiya was washing dishes. Everyone was stunned when the Collector bowed and touched Carding Bhaiya’s feet.

“Hello Uncle (Ninong Carding)!” the Collector said respectfully. “Sorry I’m late. I was stuck in a meeting.” Ricky, Sheila, and Ben were left speechless.

“Collector Sir…” Ricky interrupted. “Do you know our brother? He… He’s just a farmer.”

The Collector laughed. “Farmer?” he asked. “Don’t you know? Thakur Carding is the biggest landowner in this entire district! This entire mall, the new colony, and the university that’s been built in your city are all on his land! He’s the biggest taxpayer in our state!”

The faces of the three siblings went pale. “And most importantly,” the Collector continued. “He has donated funds for the education of thousands of poor children.”

Just then, their mother, who had been silent until now, stepped forward. “My children…” Mother said, wiping her tears. “Do you remember the ‘Foundation Scholarship’ that put you all through college? The one you thought the government gave you?” All three shook their heads fearfully. “It wasn’t the government. It was your Carding brother’s money.”

They were stunned. “When your father died,” Mother explained. “Your brother quit his studies so he could plow our land. He gave me every penny he earned to pay your college fees. He said, ‘Mom, tell them it’s a scholarship so they won’t be embarrassed and can concentrate on their studies.’”

Mother looked at Carding brother, whose head was bowed. “These cars you’re boasting about? These degrees you’re showing off to brother? All of this is indebted to the mud that’s stuck to brother’s boots.”

Silence fell over the mansion. The siblings’ pride was shattered. They were deeply ashamed. The person they had mocked… was the reason for their success. One by one, they went to Carding Bhaiya. Ricky fell at his feet and burst into tears.

“Brother… please forgive me…” Ricky held his feet. “We’ve been so bad! We’ve been ungrateful!” Sheila and Ben also began to cry. “Forgive us, brother… thank you.”

Carding Bhaiya smiled and embraced his siblings. “It’s okay,” he said calmly. “What’s important is that you all succeeded. Your victory is my victory.”

That day, they all learned that someone’s worth isn’t measured by the dirt on their clothes. Because sometimes, it’s the hands stained with dirt that propel others to the heights of success.