Bengaluru Techie Earning ₹32 LPA Moonlights as Rapido Rider to Fight Loneliness

The modern corporate world, as glamorous as it looks from the outside, harbors painful stories of isolation and loneliness. One such story from Bengaluru has taken the internet by storm.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), a user named Saad Akbar shared a surprising encounter with a Rapido bike taxi driver. When he booked a bike on the app, a man arrived on a TVS Ronin. Saad was taken aback, as the bike costs around Rs 2 lakh.

Curious, he asked the driver why he was working as a Rapido driver. The man replied that he works at Oracle as an SDE-2 (Software Development Engineer 2).

In the post, he wrote, “A Rapido guy came on a TVS Ronin that costs around ₹2 lakh. Seeing the bike, I asked him why he was doing this job. He replied that he is an SDE-2 at Oracle and rides his bike on weekends to cure his loneliness.”

While the post did not mention his salary, reports suggest it could be around 32 lakh per annum.

Responding to the post, some netizens were shocked, while others noted that this phenomenon has become increasingly common.

Empathizing with techies, one user wrote, “Loneliness is rising even in a hyper-connected world—long work hours, moving away from family, digital-first friendships, and lack of real community are big reasons.”

He advised individuals to build offline social circles (friends, hobbies, volunteering), stay active and join group activities, prioritize mental well-being like exercise or meditation, stay connected with family regardless of a busy schedule, and keep passions alive outside work to fight loneliness.

He observed, “Balance isn’t just about time, it’s about human connection.”

A Rapido guy came on a TVS Ronin that costs around ₹2 lakh. Seeing the bike, I asked him why he was doing this job. He replied that he is an SDE-2 at Oracle and rides his bike on weekends to cure his loneliness

— Saad Akbar (@saad_akbar_10) September 13, 2025