Every evening at 7 pm, as traffic thickens and streets clog with noise, Lakshmanan Angamuthu sets out on his motorised wheelchair, navigating the narrow bylanes of Saidapet in Chennai to deliver food to doorsteps. For Lakshmanan, a paraplegic and polio survivor, this daily routine is more than a job—it is a declaration of independence.

From job loss to renewed purpose

Lakshmanan, now 33, worked at a telephone exchange for over seven years before his contract ended, leaving him unemployed and emotionally shattered. “I felt useless. The thought that I couldn’t do anything for myself kept troubling me,” he recalls. His life changed two years ago when he learned that food delivery platforms were open to persons with disabilities.

He soon joined Zomato as a delivery partner. “I joined immediately, and it worked out for the better,” he says. From earning around ₹5,000 a month earlier, Lakshmanan now earns close to ₹20,000, enabling him to save and even invest.

A demanding but fulfilling routine

Lakshmanan begins his day at 8 am, delivering orders till 3 pm. After returning home to rest and recharge his wheelchair battery, he resumes work around 7 pm, continuing till 10 pm. In three hours, he often covers nearly 40 km before the battery runs out.

“The schedule is exhausting, but it gives me purpose,” he says. “Knowing I can be independent motivates me to push through the body pain.”

Daily challenges on the road

Despite his determination, challenges persist. Lakshmanan speaks of customers who insist on doorstep delivery despite knowing he cannot walk. “If customers can come down to collect the food, it would help a lot,” he says.

Infrastructure constraints also limit his earning potential. “We get only one battery with the wheelchair. If an extra battery is provided at a concessional rate, we could work longer hours without worrying about charge,” he adds.

Inspiring quiet change

Lakshmanan says he will continue working as long as he can. His message is simple yet powerful: self-reliance is possible, even in the face of physical limitations. “I hope my journey inspires other persons with disabilities to believe in themselves,” he says.

In the rush of city life, Lakshmanan’s nightly rides are a reminder that dignity of labour and determination can travel any road—even on wheels.