An Indian techie who once worked in the software sector is now cleaning streets in Russia. As per reports, the 26-year-old, Mukesh Mandal, is among a group of 17 Indians who travelled to Russia months ago to take up street-cleaning work in St Petersburg.
The group was recruited as Russia continues to face a severe labour shortage, particularly in municipal and public maintenance services. For the past several weeks, Mukesh Mandal and the other Indian workers have been cleaning city roads under the employment of Kolomyazhskoye, a road maintenance company responsible for sanitation work in the city.
Reportedly, Kolomyazhskoye looked after the arrival of all 17 workers from India and provides their food, accommodation and transport. Each worker reportedly earns close to 100,000 rubles per month, which is roughly equal to Rs 1.1 lakh.
According to Russian media outlet Fontanka, the workers are between 19 and 43 years old and come from varied professional backgrounds in India. While some were farmers, others had run their own small businesses. Reportedly, the group also includes former wedding planners, drivers and architects. Speaking to Fontanka about his current role, Mandal said he had experience working in the technology sector.
Mandal claimed that before moving to Russia, he worked as a software professional. “I’ve mostly worked at companies like Microsoft and used new tools like AI, chatbots, GPT. Essentially, I’m a developer,” he said.
However, Moneycontrol could not independently verify, whether Mandal was employed by Microsoft directly or worked for organisations using Microsoft technologies. Mandal revealed that his decision was driven by financial needs rather than long-term career plans.
When asked about taking up street-cleaning work, Mandal said, “I’m Indian, and for an Indian, the job doesn’t matter. Work is for God. You can work anywhere, in the toilet, on the street, anywhere. This is my job, my duty and responsibility, to do it as well as possible. That’s all.”
He also revealed that he does not intend to settle in Russia permanently. “My plan for the year is to stay in Russia, earn some money, and then return to my country. I’m just doing my job: cleaning the streets. This is your country, and you should understand what I do,” he explained.