In fact, he admits in jest, that he is now known in Bangalore as Donkey Ramaswamy--from the earlier Cartman Ramaswamy. Working on a project on increasing the productivity of working animals, and donkeys in particular, for the government, Ramaswamy has advocated the use of donkeys for small farms, off-farm operations and small scale transport.

The case is being argued in favour of the donkeys using some statistics on animal power. Ramaswamy says that among the two billion people who are dependent on animal power in India, one billion are below the poverty line. ``Most of them cannot afford to use cattle, horses or mules as the capitalinvestment and maintenance costs are very high. Also, the power required for ploughing is small and can be met by donkey powered implements,'' he says.

Well-designed donkey carts can also be used to carry goods that weigh less than half a tonne and this could also decrease the head-load of rural poor women, he points out.

But it is not the cost factor alone that works in favour of the donkey. Ramaswamy has calculated that while a bullock can exert only 15 per cent of its body weight, donkeys use 30 per cent. ``Therefore, they are more efficient from the point of draught capability,'' he says. And what's more, donkeys are true to their character and slog more willingly and fall sick rarely; they can be sustained on roughage, while mules, bullocks and horses need far more nutritious and expensive food.

Though donkeys are used as pack animals to carry construction material, Ramaswamy says using donkey carts could increase their payload by three times. ``Little attention is also being paid to breeding,though some work is being done on these lines at the Equine Research Institute in Hissar. There is also no scientific work for improving the rearing of donkeys,'' laments Ramaswamy.

Getting philosophical about the donkey, Ramaswamy says a significant reduction in the suffering of donkeys can be brought about only by upgrading the status of the donkey and associated systems. There are about 1.5 million donkeys in India, which mostly live in a neglected state, he says. ``Donkeys are ignored more because of cultural prejudice than any other factor. We need to look at the economic advantages, instead of shunning the donkey,'' says Ramaswamy.

Considering Cartman's success in popularising design improvements to bullock carts in select districts of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and some other states, may be the donkey, too, will find succour in Cartman's campaign for it.