A Zomato delivery partner who turned to food delivery after losing his well-paying job has inspired the internet with his optimism. The Zomato delivery driver’s story was shared on social media by a Pune man who came across him after ordering food from Subway.
In his LinkedIn post, Shripal Gandhi said that he struck up a conversation with the unnamed delivery agent after Subway forgot some items in his order. Gandhi offered to pay the Zomato delivery agent an extra ₹20 if he could go back and collect the missing items.
However, the delivery agent not only went back to collect the missing items, he even refused payment from Gandhi. The agent explained that he took pride in his job and owed his livelihood to Zomato, and therefore did not want the company to get a bad name.
From ₹1.25 lakh salary to delivering food
“He delivered more than just my lunch. He delivered a lesson for life,” Gandhi wrote on LinkedIn, sharing a photograph of the Zomato delivery partner. In his post, Gandhi explained that the delivery agent is disabled – the left side of his body was left paralysed after an accident.
He lost more than his mobility in the accident – the delivery driver also lost his well-paying job. He had been working as a construction supervisor, earning ₹1.25 lakh a month while growing into a managerial role at Shapoorji Pallonji Group, when a car accident left him partially paralysed.
“His left side is paralyzed, hand and leg. He lost his job, his mobility, and for a while, his hope,” wrote Gandhi, adding: “But Zomato changed that”.
Hope springs eternal
Zomato allowed the man to find a job and support his family without relying on anyone. Even though he lost his supervisor role, he started delivering food for Zomato. The gig has allowed him to raise and educate his daughter, who is now studying dentistry.
“Sir, Zomato kept my family alive. I may be handicapped, but I’ve been given an opportunity. I will never let Zomato’s name be affected,” the delivery driver told Gandhi.
Gandhi was struck by the Zomato delivery partner’s optimism. “He didn’t blame life. He didn’t complain. He didn’t give excuses,” he wrote of the Zomato agent.
Gandhi ended his post with a word of appreciation for Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal for employing disabled people.
“You might not realize it, but your decision to hire persons with disabilities is changing lives in the most profound way,” he wrote. “Yesterday I received a sandwich. But what stayed with me… was gratitude, resilience, and hope.”
Dozens of other people were also inspired by the Zomato delivery driver’s story and used the comments section of the post to shower praise on him.
