Chet Ram, posted with the Ministry of External Affairs' VIP Driving Department, was there at the papal mass too. He chauffeaured the Holy See to the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in the Pope mobile on Sunday. The Pope took a round of the stadium in the Pope mobile, waving at a 70,000-strong crowd. As Chet Ram is the only Indian who had the privilege to be with the Pope throughout the visit, The Indian Express interviewed him at the J N stadium.

``I feel privileged to have driven the Pope around,'' said 48-year-old Chet Ram. ``When I saw the huge crowd waiting at the stadium to see the Pope, I realised how lucky I was. Here were people who had been waiting since the break of dawn for a glimpse of their spiritual leader and I was sitting with the Pope, right inside his vehicle.''

After the Popetook a round of the stadium, he moved onto the podium for the Holy mass. As the Pope prayed along with the people at the stadium, Chet Ram drove the Pope mobile back to the Vatican Embassy. He then came back and took his place backstage, near the parked black limousine, provided by the Ministry of External Affairs. The Pope would go back to the Embassy in the limousine.

``The Pope has not been keeping well,'' said Chet Ram. ``His right leg hurts a lot and he often keeps his leg stretched on the seat. He never sits on the owner's side of the vehicle. He sits on the driver's side. He says it is easier for him to get down from the car this way.''

On Saturday morning, Chet Ram drove the Holy father to the Rashtrapati Bhawan where he met the President. The Pope then met Prime Minister A B Vajpayee at Hyderabad House. The official part of the papal visit drew to a close with a visit to Rajghat complex where he paid his respects to the Father of the Nation.

``When the Holy father reached Rajghat, his leg washurting,'' said his driver. ``The MEA officials had kept a wheelchair ready for him. But the Pope chose to walk down to the samadhi as a mark of respect. His steps faltered but he was determined to make it there with the help of his walking stick.''

The Pope is a very simple man, says Ram. ``He does not speak much while travelling in the car. When he does, he says a few words in Italian to those sitting beside him. Usually, the only two people who are in the car are Vatican Ambassador Lorenzo Baldisseri and the Archbishop of Delhi Alan de Lastic.'' The Pope never takes food or water in the car, says the man who accompanies him to all meetings here. ``He always has food at the Embassy where a special Italian cook plans the menu. As he has not keeping well, he has a special diet.''

Chet Ram makes sure the speed of the vehicle remains below 50 km per hour. ``The Pope is not well and we have to take extra care to ensure he does not feel uncomfortable while travelling,'' he said.

Though Chet Ram hascheauffered several VVIPs around the city during his 22-year tenure at the MEA, he says it was a completely different experience this time round. ``I have chauffered PLO leader Yasser Arafat, Pakistani President Farooq Leghari, Nelson Mandela and even spiritual leader Dalai Lama. But it was incredible driving the Holy father around.''