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India Today
4 hours ago
- Business
- India Today
Harsh Goenka reacts to viral claim of Mumbai auto driver earning Rs 8 lakh monthly
Who needs an MBA when you've got a sharp eye, the right spot, and a dash of Indian jugaad?It's not every day that a local auto driver gets the internet talking and the attention of a billionaire. But a recent post by Bengaluru entrepreneur Rahul Rupani has done just that. The VenueMonk co-founder claimed that a Mumbai auto driver named Ashok is earning anywhere between Rs 5 to Rs 8 lakh a month. The business model? Holding bags for people visiting the US Consulate in the anecdote in a now-viral post on LinkedIn, Rupani said he was left clueless when security at the consulate denied him entry with his bag and gave no suggestions on what to do. As he stood on the footpath wondering what next, a rickshaw driver waved at him, offering to keep the bag 'safely' for a Rs 1,000 fee. With no other option in sight, he agreed, only to realise he had just stumbled upon a hyperlocal hustle that was far from ordinary.'A Mumbai rickshaw driver saw long visa queues at US consulate- the no-phone, no-bag rule- and had a genius idea,' wrote Harsh Goenka, the RPG Group chairman, quoting the post on added, 'He started charging Rs 1,000 to hold people's bags outside the US Consulate. Today, Ashok earns 8 lakh a month just by offering 'bag-holding' service.'advertisement'No app. No MBA. Just pure Indian jugaad,' Goenka said as he concluded his post. He applauded the driver's street-smart instinct that turned a problem into a profitable a look at the post here: However, not everyone seemed impressed. While several users found the story inspiring, others questioned the legality and safety of the operation. 'There's a locker facility inside the consulate,' claimed one user. Another raised a valid concern: 'You're trusting your valuables with a rickshaw driver on the footpath?'There were also suggestions about expanding the idea. Some joked about turning it into a lounge-like van service, while others saw it as a business opportunity waiting to the comments here: could not independently verify the claims made in the original post, but it has certainly sparked a conversation about opportunity, trust, and jugaad-driven or not the numbers add up, auto driver Ashok's story stands as an example that innovation doesn't always need a formal education or a startup pitch, sometimes, all it takes is the ability to see a gap and fill Reel
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
‘Pure Indian jugaad': How a Mumbai auto driver earns Rs 5–8 lakh per month without driving? Harsh Goenka reacts to viral post
In a surprising incident, Bengaluru-based billionaire Harsh Goenka reacted to a viral claim by an entrepreneur about an auto driver's earning between Rs 5 and Rs 8 lakh each month without even driving his vehicle. The post is now doing the rounds on social media. The post was first shared by Rahul Rupani, the co-founder of VenueMonk, who claimed that the driver earned the money by offering to keep the luggage for those visiting the US Consulate in Mumbai. Noticing the post on the internet, Goenka reacted to the same and called the hustle a 'pure Indian jugaad.' How did the auto driver earn Rs 5 and Rs 8 lakhs without doing any work? According to the viral LinkedIn post shared by Rupani earlier, he stated that he was outside the US Consulate this week for his visa appointment when the security personnel informed him that he was not allowed to carry his bag inside. Additionally, there were no lockers or suggestions. The guard just told them to 'figure it out.' While he was standing there clueless and on the footpath, he noticed an auto driver who waved at him and said, 'Sir, bag de do. Safe rakhunga, mera roz ka hai. ₹1,000 charge hai.' (Sir, give me the bag; I will keep it safe, and I only charge Rs 1,000.) I hesitated. Then gave in. And that's when I discovered this guy's brilliant business," he added. 'No-bag rule,' what a genius idea, says Harsh Goenka Noticing Rupani's post on LinkedIn, Goenka couldn't stop himself from reacting to the same; he called it a genius idea and wrote, 'A Mumbai rickshaw driver saw long visa queues at the US consulate—the no-phone, no-bag rule—and had a genius idea. He started charging ₹1,000 to hold people's bags outside the US Consulate." Goenka called it a pure 'Indian Jugaad.' He further noted that Ashok, the auto driver, earns Rs 8 lakh a month just by offering a 'bag-holding' service, and no app was involved in this, no MBA; it is just 'Pure Indian Jugaad.' The entrepreneur also added a picture of the driver in the X (formerly called Twitter) post. A Mumbai rickshaw driver saw long visa queues at US consulate- the no-phone, no-bag rule- and had a genius started charging ₹1,000 to hold people's bags outside the US Consulate. Today, Ashok earns ₹8 lakh a month just by offering 'bag-holding' app. No… Netizens react to the viral post of Harsh Goenka As soon as the post surfaced on X, it grabbed the attention of netizens and received a mixed bag of reactions. One said, "How come no competition for him yet? A vanity van offering lounge-kind of services along with baggage-holding service will be the next level." how come no competition for him yet? a vanity van offering lounge kind of services along with baggage holding service will be the next level. "Real innovation doesn't always need funding or fancy tools. It needs awareness, courage, and execution. Ashok did all three," another added. Real innovation doesn't always need funding or fancy tools. It needs awareness, courage, and execution. Ashok did all three. One said, "Most of the population of India earns with their time and not with their mind. Be like Ashok & earn with your mind." Most of the population of India earns with their time and not with their mind. Be like Ashok & earn with your mind. "Ashok's genius jugaad !! Harsh ji After the post there may be heavy competition as the word spreads 🤔" Ashok's genius jugaad !! Harsh ji After the post there may be heavy competition as the word spreads 🤔
Hindustan Times
7 hours ago
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
‘Just pure Indian jugaad': Billionaire reacts to Mumbai auto driver who ‘earns ₹5–8 lakh a month without driving'
Billionaire Harsh Goenka has reacted to a viral claim by a Bengaluru entrepreneur about an auto driver in Mumbai earning between ₹5 to ₹8 lakh each month without even driving his vehicle. The post initially shared by VenueMonk co-founder Rahul Rupani claimed that the driver earned the money by offering to keep the luggage for those visiting the US Consulate in Mumbai. Reacting to it, Goenka called the alleged hustle a 'pure Indian jugaad'. 'A Mumbai rickshaw driver saw long visa queues at US consulate- the no-phone, no-bag rule- and had a genius idea. He started charging ₹1,000 to hold people's bags outside the US Consulate," Harsh Goenka wrote. "Today, Ashok earns ₹8 lakh a month just by offering 'bag-holding' service. No app. No MBA. Just pure Indian jugaad,' the entrepreneur added and concluded his X post with a picture of the driver. 'I was outside the US Consulate this week for my visa appointment, when security told me I couldn't carry my bag inside. No lockers. No suggestions. Just: 'Figure it out.' While I stood clueless on the footpath, an auto driver waved at me: 'Sir, bag de do. Safe rakhunga, mera roz ka hai. ₹1,000 charge hai.' I hesitated. Then gave in. And that's when I discovered this guy's brilliant business,' Rupani earlier wrote in his LinkedIn post about the driver. His post prompted varied questions among social media users. While some appreciated the driver, others were sceptical about the setup and labelled it 'unethical'. A few also claimed that it is illegal. cannot independently verify the claims presented. 'How come no competition for him yet? A vanity van offering lounge kind of services along with baggage holding service will be the next level,' an individual asked. 'What an innovative idea... With such ideas, there is nothing that you can't achieve,' another remarked. A third posted, 'I can't believe the people gave their bag containing valuables to a Rikshawalla. Unlike a shopkeeper, a Rikshawalla could elope with the valuables.' A fourth wrote, 'There is a locker facility inside the consulate. You can put your mobiles and bags in it. I have done this when I was there for a visitor's visa.'
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Bengaluru entrepreneur's claim on Mumbai auto driver sparks awe, disbelief: ‘Earns ₹5–8 lakh a month without driving'
A post by a Bengaluru entrepreneur about an auto driver outside the US Consulate in Mumbai has ignited a heated discussion on LinkedIn. Rahul Rupani, who co-founded VenueMonk, claimed that the auto driver earns between ₹5 to 8 lakh per month without driving and by offering a simple service. 'I was outside the US Consulate this week for my visa appointment, when security told me I couldn't carry my bag inside. No lockers. No suggestions. Just: 'Figure it out.' While I stood clueless on the footpath, an auto driver waved at me: 'Sir, bag de do. Safe rakhunga, mera roz ka hai. ₹1,000 charge hai.' I hesitated. Then gave in. And that's when I discovered this guy's brilliant business,' Rupani wrote. Rupani then explained how the man works, adding that the driver 'partnered with a local police officer who owns a small locker space nearby.' He keeps all the bags he collects from consulate visitors in that locker. 'And while most people are sweating over US visa interviews, this guy is running a zero-mile, hyper-profitable, bootstrapped operation. No MBA. No startup jargon. Just pure hustle and street-smart product-market fit,' he continued. He further labelled the auto driver as a 'real entrepreneur'. is unable to independently verify the claims presented. A request for comment has been made to Rahul Rupani, and this report will be updated upon receiving a response. While some appreciated Rupani sharing the post, others expressed doubts and questions. An individual posted, 'That's not his income alone. He has to share with multiple people, including police. Otherwise, what stops other auto wallahs from doing the same at a lower price? Also, I guess they don't know that there is a locker facility inside the consulate at a charge of ₹500.' Another added, 'This is a perfect example of smart work and its effective execution. Despite not actively driving the auto or other efforts, people trustingly leave their bags and belongings with him, feeling assured of their safety. Convincing strangers and earning their trust is no small feat. It's really impressive. Wow!' A third remarked, 'Hope you realize what BS you are peddling in the name of hustle. This whole operation is wrong at so many levels… Legally… ethically… that it's not even funny as an anecdote. It's literally making/fleecing money by exploiting someone's misery. And if you feel this is a great inspirational story for Indian entrepreneurs, God save the start-up culture in India.' A fourth wrote, 'And you're saying such a big (unethical, but anyway) opportunity exists, and there's just this one guy exploiting it?' A few slammed the post as a 'Fake story.'
