Who needs an MBA when you’ve got a sharp eye, the right spot, and a dash of Indian jugaad?

It’s not every day that a local auto driver gets the internet talking and the attention of a billionaire. But a recent post by Bengaluru entrepreneur Rahul Rupani has done just that. The VenueMonk co-founder claimed that a Mumbai auto driver named Ashok is earning anywhere between Rs 5 to Rs 8 lakh a month. The business model? Holding bags for people visiting the US Consulate in Mumbai.

Sharing the anecdote in a now-viral post on LinkedIn, Rupani said he was left clueless when security at the consulate denied him entry with his bag and gave no suggestions on what to do.

As he stood on the footpath wondering what next, a rickshaw driver waved at him, offering to keep the bag “safely” for a Rs 1,000 fee. With no other option in sight, he agreed, only to realise he had just stumbled upon a hyperlocal hustle that was far from ordinary.

“A Mumbai rickshaw driver saw long visa queues at US consulate- the no-phone, no-bag rule- and had a genius idea,” wrote Harsh Goenka, the RPG Group chairman, quoting the post on X.

He added, “He started charging Rs 1,000 to hold people’s bags outside the US Consulate. Today, Ashok earns 8 lakh a month just by offering ‘bag-holding’ service.”

“No app. No MBA. Just pure Indian jugaad,” Goenka said as he concluded his post.

He applauded the driver’s street-smart instinct that turned a problem into a profitable business.

Take a look at the post here:

However, not everyone seemed impressed. While several users found the story inspiring, others questioned the legality and safety of the operation.

“There’s a locker facility inside the consulate,” claimed one user. Another raised a valid concern: “You’re trusting your valuables with a rickshaw driver on the footpath?”

There were also suggestions about expanding the idea. Some joked about turning it into a lounge-like van service, while others saw it as a business opportunity waiting to scale.

See the comments here:

IndiaToday.in could not independently verify the claims made in the original post, but it has certainly sparked a conversation about opportunity, trust, and jugaad-driven enterprise.

Whether or not the numbers add up, auto driver Ashok’s story stands as an example that innovation doesn’t always need a formal education or a startup pitch, sometimes, all it takes is the ability to see a gap and fill it.