Meet the 80-year-old Kolkata taxi driver who still works 16-hour days to survive

Every morning at 6, 80-year-old Rabindranath Sarkar sets out in a rented taxi on the roads of Kolkata. He returns home only around 10 or 11 at night, concluding another day behind the wheel after around 16 hours of work.

Chaitali Bose, a digital creator, shared an Instagram video that offered glimpses into Sarkar's daily life and the struggles that continue to define it.

Through the video, Chaitali not only documented the veteran taxi driver's life but also showed the modest home he shares with his 77-year-old wife, urging people to come forward and help the elderly couple.

Sarkar has been driving a taxi for the past 52 years. The vehicle is rented, which means he must pay a fixed daily rental regardless of how much he earns. On top of that, he has to bear fuel expenses. With little money left after meeting these costs, Sarkar often cannot afford medicines for himself.

The couple, who have no children, have lived near Dumdum for several years. Their financial hardships extend beyond healthcare. Their home has a damaged tin roof and broken asbestos sheets that leak during heavy rain. Even repairing the windows remains beyond their means.

Despite his age and frail health, Sarkar continues to work every day. Chaitali's video shows him driving while visibly struggling, his hands shaking and his breathing laboured. As far as the fare is concerned, he often tells passengers, "Whatever you deem fit, give me."

Moved by his story, social media users flooded the comments section with messages of support and offers of assistance. Several people asked whether Sarkar required medicines and volunteered to provide them.

"These are people who will not beg but rather work. An inspiration," a comment said.

Others said they had tried to transfer money to Sarkar using the bank details shared by Bose but were unable to do so because the recipient had reached the payment limit. Some users described this as heartening, saying it reflected how many people had stepped forward to help the elderly driver.

For Rabindranath Sarkar who spent 52 years behind the wheel asking passengers to pay only "what they deemed fit," the kindness now coming his way may offer something he has long gone without - a measure of security.

Every morning at 6, 80-year-old Rabindranath Sarkar sets out in a rented taxi on the roads of Kolkata. He returns home only around 10 or 11 at night, concluding another day behind the wheel after around 16 hours of work.

Chaitali Bose, a digital creator, shared an Instagram video that offered glimpses into Sarkar's daily life and the struggles that continue to define it.

Through the video, Chaitali not only documented the veteran taxi driver's life but also showed the modest home he shares with his 77-year-old wife, urging people to come forward and help the elderly couple.

Sarkar has been driving a taxi for the past 52 years. The vehicle is rented, which means he must pay a fixed daily rental regardless of how much he earns. On top of that, he has to bear fuel expenses. With little money left after meeting these costs, Sarkar often cannot afford medicines for himself.

The couple, who have no children, have lived near Dumdum for several years. Their financial hardships extend beyond healthcare. Their home has a damaged tin roof and broken asbestos sheets that leak during heavy rain. Even repairing the windows remains beyond their means.

Despite his age and frail health, Sarkar continues to work every day. Chaitali's video shows him driving while visibly struggling, his hands shaking and his breathing laboured. As far as the fare is concerned, he often tells passengers, "Whatever you deem fit, give me."

Moved by his story, social media users flooded the comments section with messages of support and offers of assistance. Several people asked whether Sarkar required medicines and volunteered to provide them.

"These are people who will not beg but rather work. An inspiration," a comment said.

Others said they had tried to transfer money to Sarkar using the bank details shared by Bose but were unable to do so because the recipient had reached the payment limit. Some users described this as heartening, saying it reflected how many people had stepped forward to help the elderly driver.

For Rabindranath Sarkar who spent 52 years behind the wheel asking passengers to pay only "what they deemed fit," the kindness now coming his way may offer something he has long gone without - a measure of security.