‘Kind of India we ignore’: Gujarat auto driver’s 14-16 hour grind leaves passenger humbled

A late-night auto ride revealed the tough reality of an auto driver’s endless grind.

A Reddit post about a late-night auto ride has gone viral after it revealed the unseen struggle of an auto driver working 14-16 hours a day to support his family.

A viral Reddit post captured a passenger’s moving encounter with an auto driver who works 14–16 hours daily to support his daughters. (Unsplash/Representational Image)

The Redditor (Specialist_Meaning73) wrote about booking an auto after a late night at work in Gujarat. It was past 11 pm when the passenger met the driver, a man in his late 50s with a thin frame and tired eyes.

“The kind of India we ignore,” the caption of the Reddit post reads.

Auto driver's endless grind:

According to the post, when asked if driving late was a daily routine, the auto driver gave a weary laugh.

The driver explained about having two daughters, one needing coaching fees and the other in school. Daily earnings came to about ₹700–800, half of which went towards fuel and rent.

To manage education costs, driving late into the night had become necessary. “Raat ko chalata hoon taaki unki padhai na ruk jaye (I drive at night so my daughters’ education doesn’t stop),” the driver said.

Then came a line that stayed with the passenger long after the ride. “Gareeb aadmi sapne nahi dekhta apne liye, sirf apne bachon ke liye. Mere liye toh bas itna hai ki mujhe kal bhi chalane ki taaqat mile (A poor man never dreams for himself, only for his children. I just pray for strength to drive tomorrow)” the driver said.

As the ride came to an end, the passenger did not want to get out. Extra money was offered, but the driver refused at first. Later, he accepted it, folded his hands, and blessed the passenger, saying, “Aapko bhi khuda taaqat de” (May God give you strength too).

"I went silent. Here I was, cribbing about my corporate job, while this man was driving 14-16 hours a day so his daughters could have a shot at a better life," the Redditor adds.

Check out the post here:

Screengrab of the Reddit post. (@Specialist_Meaning73/Reddit)

Reddit reacts:

The post struck a chord with thousands of Reddit users. Many praised the driver’s dedication and sacrifice for his daughters, while others reflected on their own daily complaints in comparison.

One of the users commented, “You have a kind heart, and so does he. May his children flourish and provide a comfortable lifestyle for him, which he deserves.”

“Maybe the biggest privilege we have isn’t money or English-speaking jobs. It’s the fact that we are allowed to dream for ourselves,” another user commented.