Delivering food at night was a harrowing experience for a Delhiite who shared the touching story of a young Zomato delivery executive working tirelessly to support his family. The encounter inspired him to approach Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal with a heartfelt plea for change.
Delhi resident Himanshu Bora had placed the order at 3am, unaware that the delivery would bring him face to face with a “deeply shocking” story.
“Last night, after finishing my work at 3 am, I ordered my food through Zomato. When the doorbell rang, I got up to open it. There he was, distribution executive Shiva Sarkar, with a warm smile despite the cold outside,” he said in his post.
The delivery executive, Shiva Sarkar, a young man in his early twenties, arrived at Bora's doorstep with a warm smile despite the cold night. But his eyes held a silent weight, hinting at a story waiting to be told.
“There was something in his eyes—a weight, an unspoken struggle,” Bora recounted.
Touched by his gesture, Bora invited Shiva inside and offered him a glass of water. As they talked, Shiva opened up about his life. After losing his father, he had to drop out of school in class 8 to support his family. Now, he delivers food late into the night and uses the money he earns to save for his younger sister's wedding, all while shouldering the burden of his responsibilities.
“Shiva, barely 20-21 years old, was moved to tears as she shared her story. He had to drop out of school after the 8th grade when his father died. He had to do this job to support his family because of the weight of responsibility,” Bora said.
He added, “His dreams of education, carefree youth, were replaced by long nights and the heavy burden of ensuring that his sisters could be married next year. I sat there in awe of his strength. This young man who should be pursuing his ambitions is instead racing against the clock to make ends meet with admirable determination.”
The encounter left Bora reflecting on the sacrifices made by countless distribution executives like Shiva.
“As we talked, I couldn't stop thinking – how many Shivas are out there? Young people giving up their education, their ambitions and their abilities just to run their families,” Bora shared in his post.
As Shiva left with a smile and a hearty “thank you”, Bohra struggled with a whirlwind of emotions. “What can we do for them? Could Zomato, with its huge reach and influence, consider introducing initiatives like training programs, scholarships or accessible loans to support these unsung heroes?” he suggested.
Bohra translated his heartfelt reflection into a call to action, directly addressing Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal in his post.
He wrote, “Deepinder Goyal, I really appreciate the Zomato app, but can we do more? Can we as a society support these individuals who silently carry the weight of the world on their young shoulders?”
Accompanied by a photo of Shiva—shared with his consent—the post resonated deeply and quickly went viral, sparking wide-ranging discussions across the internet.
Zomato was quick to accept this position. “Hey Himanshu, thanks for bringing this to our attention. This sounds quite inspiring, and we are proud of our delivery universe. If possible, kindly help us to provide the order ID through a private message so that we can express your appreciation to our delivery partner,” Zomato said.