'Alchemist' Kerala auto a hit after Coelho shares picture

After a book shop in Kerala and a Malayalam movie, it is now a Kerala autorickshaw that caught the attention of renowned Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho.

Coelho shared on social media the picture of a Kerala autorickshaw with his name on its rear.

Pradeep K A, a native of Cherayi near Kochi, used the Brazilian writer's name and his book's on the auto. The rickshaw has been plying in Kochi over the last several years.

The auto owner says he was fascinated by the author after reading his popular book 'The Alchemist' and put Coelho's name in English and the book's name in Malayalam on his ride. The autorickshaw has been anointed 'Alchemist'.

After Coelho shared the photo on Twitter, the picture went viral garnering much-awaited appreciation and attention for Pradeep. The tweet received over 22,000 likes and 2,000 shares.

Pradeep also keeps Coelho's picture inside his autorickshaw along with other popular personalities like Osho.

Fifty-six year old Pradeep, who worked in private firms in Kolkotta for several years after his studies, said that he was really taken by 'The Alchemist' even as he read many books of renowned writers like Marquez and Tolstoy. He always keeps books in his autorickshaw and reads during breaks, he said.

"It was hard to believe when I came to know from my son and some friends that Coelho shared my auto's picture," says Pradeep who now dreams of meeting the writer.

Last year, a book shop at Aluva had caught Coelho's attention for its unique design of a huge book shelf with books including 'The Alchemist'.

In 2016, Coelho had shared the poster of a Malayalam film 'Kochavva Paulo Ayyappa Coelho' which is also centered around a character influenced by 'The Alchemist'.