For a middle-class boy growing up in Kolhapur in the 1960s and 70s, even becoming an engineer once felt like an impossible dream. Travelling abroad was something people only heard about. So when Kamalakar Potdar boarded an international flight to Germany in 1982, it was not just a personal milestone. It became a moment of pride for his entire town. Decades later, the man now lovingly known across Pune as “Poddar Uncle” still remembers that journey with childlike wonder.
In an interview with Humans of Bombay, Potdar looked back at the extraordinary experience of becoming the first person in his family lineage to travel abroad. Born into a middle-class family in Kolhapur, Potdar said that education itself felt like a huge achievement during his younger years. Eventually, he became the first engineer in his family and later moved to Pune to work at Tata Motors.
Then came the opportunity that completely changed his perspective on the world: a work trip to Germany in 1982. Today, international travel feels routine for many Indians. But for Potdar and people around him at the time, flying to Europe felt almost unimaginable. He recalled how residents from his town gathered to see him off before his departure, treating the occasion like a historic event. His photograph even appeared in a local newspaper, while his mother became emotional every time people spoke proudly about her son travelling abroad.
His experience in Germany
When Potdar finally landed in Germany, he said the experience felt surreal. Without social media or internet access during that era, Europe remained largely unknown and mysterious for many Indians. He had never visually experienced the continent before arriving there himself. Everything fascinated him instantly. He remembered being amazed by the spotless roads, the discipline in public life, and the freedom with which women drove cars independently. What surprised him even more was the dignity associated with every profession.
One memory, in particular, stayed with him for years. He recalled being stunned after noticing that the woman cleaning his hotel room arrived every morning in an expensive-looking car, something he had never imagined back home during that time. The trip also became a journey of discovering unfamiliar food and cultures. Potdar experimented with Yugoslavian dishes regularly, enjoyed pizzas in Italy, and tasted baguettes in France.
Homesick and Chinese food
But despite enjoying European cuisine, homesickness slowly crept in. Eventually, he began desperately missing Indian flavours and comfort food. He shared that he even travelled across parts of Germany searching for Chinese food because rice and curry felt emotionally closest to home.
One of the most unforgettable moments of the trip was witnessing the Berlin Wall in person, years before its fall changed world history forever. Just before leaving India, Potdar had purchased his first camera. That decision transformed the trip into a lifelong memory archive. He spent his days clicking photographs endlessly across Europe, capturing ordinary streets in Germany, cafés in France, strangers walking past, and countless little moments that felt magical to a young man seeing the world for the first time.
But long before engineering and Europe entered his life, Potdar already carried a creative instinct within him. As a child, he loved carving designs onto stone slabs. Even while working professionally for nearly three decades, that artistic side quietly stayed alive inside him. After retirement, he finally returned to creativity completely.
What does he do now?
Today, nearing the age of 80, Potdar spends much of his time building toys and miniature creations using paper, wire, and straws. Across Pune, children affectionately know him as “Poddar Uncle,” while social media has unexpectedly introduced his work to audiences around the world. Through Instagram, people from different countries now watch his handmade creations and artistic experiments online.
Looking back, Potdar reflected on how strangely beautiful life can be. The curious young man who once boarded his first international flight with wide-eyed amazement never really lost that sense of wonder. Even today, decades after that unforgettable Germany trip, he says he still remains deeply curious about the world around him.
In an interview with Humans of Bombay, Potdar looked back at the extraordinary experience of becoming the first person in his family lineage to travel abroad. Born into a middle-class family in Kolhapur, Potdar said that education itself felt like a huge achievement during his younger years. Eventually, he became the first engineer in his family and later moved to Pune to work at Tata Motors.
Then came the opportunity that completely changed his perspective on the world: a work trip to Germany in 1982. Today, international travel feels routine for many Indians. But for Potdar and people around him at the time, flying to Europe felt almost unimaginable. He recalled how residents from his town gathered to see him off before his departure, treating the occasion like a historic event. His photograph even appeared in a local newspaper, while his mother became emotional every time people spoke proudly about her son travelling abroad.
His experience in Germany
When Potdar finally landed in Germany, he said the experience felt surreal. Without social media or internet access during that era, Europe remained largely unknown and mysterious for many Indians. He had never visually experienced the continent before arriving there himself. Everything fascinated him instantly. He remembered being amazed by the spotless roads, the discipline in public life, and the freedom with which women drove cars independently. What surprised him even more was the dignity associated with every profession.One memory, in particular, stayed with him for years. He recalled being stunned after noticing that the woman cleaning his hotel room arrived every morning in an expensive-looking car, something he had never imagined back home during that time. The trip also became a journey of discovering unfamiliar food and cultures. Potdar experimented with Yugoslavian dishes regularly, enjoyed pizzas in Italy, and tasted baguettes in France.
Homesick and Chinese food
But despite enjoying European cuisine, homesickness slowly crept in. Eventually, he began desperately missing Indian flavours and comfort food. He shared that he even travelled across parts of Germany searching for Chinese food because rice and curry felt emotionally closest to home.One of the most unforgettable moments of the trip was witnessing the Berlin Wall in person, years before its fall changed world history forever. Just before leaving India, Potdar had purchased his first camera. That decision transformed the trip into a lifelong memory archive. He spent his days clicking photographs endlessly across Europe, capturing ordinary streets in Germany, cafés in France, strangers walking past, and countless little moments that felt magical to a young man seeing the world for the first time.
But long before engineering and Europe entered his life, Potdar already carried a creative instinct within him. As a child, he loved carving designs onto stone slabs. Even while working professionally for nearly three decades, that artistic side quietly stayed alive inside him. After retirement, he finally returned to creativity completely.
What does he do now?
Today, nearing the age of 80, Potdar spends much of his time building toys and miniature creations using paper, wire, and straws. Across Pune, children affectionately know him as “Poddar Uncle,” while social media has unexpectedly introduced his work to audiences around the world. Through Instagram, people from different countries now watch his handmade creations and artistic experiments online.Looking back, Potdar reflected on how strangely beautiful life can be. The curious young man who once boarded his first international flight with wide-eyed amazement never really lost that sense of wonder. Even today, decades after that unforgettable Germany trip, he says he still remains deeply curious about the world around him.
