“The idea of looking down upon delivery executives, deeming their jobs ‘unrespectable’ is baffling to me. In my one year in delivery, I’ve been told countless times to get back to a desk job though it pays far less, only because it portrays a better status to the society.

Now having completed my graduation and subsequently worked in different companies, I’m certainly aware of the advantages a ‘nine to five’ entails. My shift to this field, in fact, was completely circumstantial. Having lost work in-between, the burden of multiple loans alongside a single mother’s deteriorating health took a huge toll on our household. And in order to keep the income flowing until I land in an adequately paying role is how I decided to give this a try.

But then again, I witnessed a lot of naysayers, including my mother herself. The fact that my hustle helped us stay afloat and even brought in a bit more money didn’t seem to matter at all. Everyone’s immediate response was that no guy would marry me if I kept roaming around for a living.

What they don’t understand, however, is that traveling for work has also helped in calming my anxiety over how I’m gonna put our next meal on the table. The weight of the world feels a little less, with every customer I meet and every order I complete. Adding further to these small joys is people’s astonishment when they see a female delivery executive. Many congratulate me for stepping up and representing equality, right at the grass-root level.

And it’s their encouragement that blurs out the occupational hazards, especially when it comes to how some treat us. Right from the hotels, to giant apartments, us delivery executives face contempt on an everyday basis. There are times we’ve had people tipping us one rupee, just to see how we react, giving us demeaning stares and even directing us to stand for long in unhealthy surroundings because we don’t ‘fit in’.

Nevertheless, despite these flipsides, I look forward to working everyday! My aim is to save enough and drift towards my dream of venturing into the police force. And till then, I will continue to satiate people’s hunger with a smile!”