Meet Rabindranath Sarkar, the 80-year-old Kolkata taxi driver working 16 hours a day for his ailing wife
ETimes | July 9, 2026 9:39 PM CST
Most people dream of slowing down by the time they turn 80. Rabindranath Sarkar doesn't have that luxury.
Every morning, while much of Kolkata is just waking up, he gets behind the wheel of a yellow taxi and heads out onto the city's busy roads. He's not chasing a career milestone or trying to stay busy after retirement. He's simply trying to earn enough to look after his wife.
A video shared by Kolkata-based content creator Chaitali Bose has brought Sarkar's story to thousands of people online, and it's difficult to watch without feeling a lump in your throat.
Bose says Sarkar has been driving taxis for more than five decades. Even today, at nearly 80 years old, his day begins around 6 in the morning. Some nights, he doesn't return home until 11 pm.
That's almost 16 hours on the road.
And here's the heartbreaking part. The taxi isn't even his.
He rents it every day, which means he has to pay the owner a fixed amount whether he gets enough passengers or not. A slow day doesn't just mean less income - it can mean going home with almost nothing after paying the rental.
Sarkar and his 67-year-old wife live in a small tin-roofed house near the railway tracks in Dum Dum. They don't have children to support them, and every expense - from food to medicines - depends on what he earns that day.
Life has become even tougher because both of them are dealing with health problems.
According to Bose, Sarkar suffers from chronic asthma, while his wife has a heart condition. Medicines are expensive, but giving up work isn't really an option.
What has moved many people online isn't just his determination but also his kindness.
Despite working long hours and struggling to make ends meet, Sarkar reportedly tells passengers to pay whatever they think is fair. It's the kind of generosity that feels almost unbelievable, especially from someone who himself is finding it difficult to get by.
Their home reflects the hardships they face.
During the monsoon, rainwater seeps through the leaking tin roof. Repairs are something they've had to put off because there are always more urgent expenses.
Towards the end of the video, Bose appealed to viewers to help the elderly couple in whatever way they could.
The clip has since been widely shared, with people calling Sarkar's story both inspiring and deeply upsetting.
One person wrote that those who spend a lifetime working honestly shouldn't have to fight for survival in their old age. Another said that while many people would have given up in such circumstances, Sarkar continues to work with dignity every single day.
Some users also questioned whether elderly people like him receive enough financial support, saying stories like these expose the gaps in the country's social security system.
Others admitted the video left them counting their own blessings.
It's easy to complain about traffic, work deadlines or a bad day at the office. Then you come across someone like Rabindranath Sarkar, who spends 16 hours driving through Kolkata despite his age, his asthma and the uncertainty of whether he'll earn enough to buy medicines.
You can't help but stop and think.
His story isn't just about hardship. It's about love, responsibility and refusing to give up on the person who's stood beside you through life. And perhaps that's why it has touched so many hearts.
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