- Koushik Kharvi transformed from Swiggy delivery partner to entrepreneur.
- He now owns "Mangalore in Bangalore" eatery and a seafood consultancy.
- His journey showcases hard work overcoming societal job stigma.
Koushik Kharvi Entrepreneur: Indian society often views jobs such as delivery executive, bike-taxi rider, security guard, or housekeeping staff through the lens of stigma. People in these roles are often seen as less respectable and may face questions about their qualifications. Families, too, often discourage their children from taking up such jobs, preferring they pursue "white-collar" careers they can proudly talk about in their social circles.
One such story is that of Koushik Kharvi from Bengaluru, who once hid his identity from his family and friends while working as a Swiggy delivery partner. But his story is not just about hiding his job. It is about how he went from delivering food to opening a restaurant of his own. The Bengaluru-based entrepreneur's journey reflects how hard work and willingness can change the course of one's life.
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Video Credit: Koushik Kharvi Instagram
Nine years ago, he was working part-time as a Swiggy delivery partner, and today he proudly owns not one but two businesses: a successful eatery named "Mangalore in Bangalore" and an up-and-coming seafood consultancy. From waiting at pickup counters of some of Bengaluru's top seafood restaurants to now stepping on the other side of those counters, Kaushik's journey has been nothing but inspirational.
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"Just A Delivery Boy"
In an Instagram video shared last week, Koushik revisited his nine-year-long and arduous journey from a delivery boy to a business owner. In the post, he shared his old Swiggy ID card and acknowledged why he would hide his job from others. "Nine years ago, I used to hide from my friends while delivering for Swiggy. More than the hard work, I was scared my friends would see me as just a delivery boy," he said.
Those exhausting waiting hours at the pickup counters planted the seed for the food and culinary industry. Nearly a decade later, Kaushik, a computer science graduate, serves authentic Mangalorean seafood in Bengaluru's RR Nagar.
How He Turned The Tables?
Driven by a passion for seafood, Koushik Kharvi launched an Instagram consultant page named Koushik Seafoods to impart his seafood knowledge to others. Explaining his motive behind it, he wrote, "Through this page, I'll be sharing real information, practical tips, interesting facts, my experiences from the coast, and everything | learn along the way - in a simple and easy-to-understand manner."
Expanding his footprint in the culinary industry through the consultancy page, Koushik aims to build a community that appreciates good seafood and supports the coastal communities.
Kharvi's journey was not an overnight success. It showed that if you put your mind and heart to something, it eventually pays off. And that is why it struck a chord with the online world. One regular customer said that they had been visiting the eatery for years as it brought their hometown food together.
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Video Credit: Koushik Kharvi Instagram
He showed gratitude and thanked everyone for the applause and also thanked Swiggy, saying, "Still a long way to go. Thank you Swiggy for giving an opportunity during my tough days."