Indian software engineer now cleans streets in Russia, earns ₹1 lakh: ‘I've worked at companies like Microsoft'

A group of Indian migrants has taken up street-cleaning work in Russia as the country grapples with a severe labour shortage. Among the 17 Indians who arrived in Russia about four months ago is Mukesh Mandal, a 26-year-old who says he previously worked as a software developer.

Mandal recently spoke to Russian media outlet Fontanka about his current job as a street cleaner in St. Petersburg. For the past several weeks, he and the other Indian workers have been cleaning city roads under the employment of Kolomyazhskoye, a road maintenance company.

Kolomyazhskoye facilitated the arrival of all 17 workers from India and also covers their food and accommodation. Each worker reportedly earns close to 100,000 rubles, which is approximately ₹1.1 lakh.

“They are manual laborers, cleaning the streets,” said Maria Tyabina, Acting Head of the Comprehensive Cleaning Department at Kolomyazhskoye JSC. “We meet them and handle all the paperwork. We provide them with housing, prepare them, and provide protective clothing—we handle everything. We provide meals and transportation from the dorm to the workplace. We also provide lunch transportation.”

According to Fontanka, the workers are between 19 and 43 years old and come from diverse professional backgrounds in India. While some were farmers, others ran their own businesses. The group reportedly includes individuals who worked as wedding planners, tanners, drivers, architects and more. At least one of them said he had experience in software development.

Mandal claimed that before moving to Russia, he worked in the tech sector. “I've mostly worked at companies like Microsoft and used new tools like AI, chatbots, GPT, and the like. Essentially, I'm a developer,” he said, speaking in broken English.

However, it remains unclear whether Mandal was directly employed by Microsoft or worked for organisations that used Microsoft technologies.

The young worker said his stay in Russia is temporary and driven by financial goals. “My plan for the year is to stay in Russia, earn some money, and then return to my country. I'm just doing my job: cleaning the streets. This is your country, and you should understand what I do,” he said.

When asked about his decision to take up street-cleaning work abroad, Mandal offered a philosophical response. “I'm Indian, and for an Indian, the job doesn't matter. Work is for God. You can work anywhere—in the toilet, on the street, anywhere. This is my job, my duty and responsibility—to do it as well as possible. That's all.”