A group of Indian migrants has been cleaning the streets of Russia amid a labour shortage in the world’s largest country. Among the 17 Indian workers who reached Russia four months ago is a man who claims to have worked as a software developer.
Mukesh Mandal spoke to Russian news outlet Fontanka about his new role as a street cleaner in Russia.
Indian street cleaners in Russia
26-year-old Mandal is part of the contingent of Indian workers who have been cleaning the streets of St. Petersburg for several weeks now. They are employed by road maintenance company Kolomyazhskoye.
Kolomyazhskoye not only brought the 17 Indians to Russia but also provides them with food and accommodation. They are paid around 100,000 rubles ( ₹1.1 lakh approximately).
“They are manual laborers, cleaning the streets,” said Maria Tyabina, Acting Head of the Comprehensive Cleaning Department at Kolomyazhskoye JSC. “We meet them and handle all the paperwork. We provide them with housing, prepare them, and provide protective clothing—we handle everything. We provide meals and transportation from the dorm to the workplace. We also provide lunch transportation.”
The migrant workers range between 19 to 43 years of age. Back home in India, some were farmers while others owned their own businesses. The Fontanka report said that the contingent includes a wedding planner, a tanner, drivers, architects and more. At least one person said he worked as a software developer in India.
From software developer to street cleaner
{{/usCountry}}The migrant workers range between 19 to 43 years of age. Back home in India, some were farmers while others owned their own businesses. The Fontanka report said that the contingent includes a wedding planner, a tanner, drivers, architects and more. At least one person said he worked as a software developer in India.
From software developer to street cleaner
{{/usCountry}}Mukesh Mandal told Fontanka that he used to work as a software developer before he came to Russia as a cleaner.
“I've mostly worked at companies like Microsoft and used new tools like AI, chatbots, GPT, and the like. Essentially, I'm a developer,” he explained in halting English.
It was not clear from Mandal’s account whether he was employed by Microsoft or by a company that used Microsoft products.
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The 26-year-old techie said that he plans to earn money in Russia before returning home. “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 said.
Asked why he chose to work as a street cleaner in Russia, Mandal responded: “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.”