Where there’s a will, there’s a way — 27-year-old Zomato delivery boy Subhashish Mandal epitomises this adage, and how!
Subhashish met with a near-fatal accident while working at a Bankura factory in 2018, losing his ability to walk. A spine surgery in Durgapur and rigorous treatment in Vellore could not reverse the damage, leaving him helpless and bedridden for years.
Cut to 2025, and Subhashish puts on the red Zomato T-shirt with pride every morning and hits the streets of Kolkata on his mechanised wheelchair, delivering food to doorsteps to make a living.
“I was 20 when I injured my spine while working in a factory in Bankura. I have not been able to move my legs since then,” he said, waiting outside Haji Saheb restaurant in Kolkata’s Behala to collect his next order.
Help and support of friends
Subhashish, born to a farmer in Bankura, about 170km north of Kolkata, has come a long way since he damaged his spine. But his return to life, as he describes it, may not have been possible without the help and support of his friends.
“My friends gifted me this mechanised wheelchair I use to deliver orders. Without their support, I would not have been able to lead a respectful life,” said Subhashish, a class 12 pass-out.
The wheelchair that Subhashish uses was originally designed by a team of IIT Madras students.
‘Customers I deliver orders to are often surprised to see a Zomato boy on a wheelchair. I also draw a lot of attention on the road, with people clicking pictures at traffic signals,’ Subhashish said
Subhashish’s gig work is truly inspiring, but what he does when he is not working is nothing less either. He participated in a national rugby tournament for the specially abled in Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior earlier this year, and is set to partake in a wheelchair marathon on March 16 in Kolkata.
“I joined Zomato three months ago. It has been an eventful journey so far. My riding skills in busy Kolkata traffic have improved for sure,” says Subhashish, pointing at the traffic congestion on the adjacent road.
“Customers I deliver orders to are often surprised to see a Zomato boy on a wheelchair. I also draw a lot of attention on the road, with people clicking pictures at traffic signals,” he said.
‘The ability to be self-sufficient… is priceless’
A resident of Parnasree, Behala, in Kolkata, Subhashish is a sports enthusiast who loves watching football and working out in his free time. “I may not be able to walk again, but I don’t let that deter me from enjoying my life. The ability to be self-sufficient after everything I have been through is priceless,” he said.
Subhashish manages to earn around Rs 500 a day delivering orders for Zomato. He does two shifts — from 7am to 11am, and from 6pm to 11pm. He delivers more than 10 orders daily.
“Some customers ask me to pose for photos and some wish to know my story. People have treated me well, and with a lot of love and respect in this city,” he added, leaving for the next delivery at New Alipore.