– M Rafi Ahmed
At a time when reports of layoffs more so in tech companies are pouring in from the US, a software professional Maninder Singh quit his lucrative job and is back to his native Mohali city in Punjab to explore and experience a different domain. A recent video of the techie selling food at Mohali’s Phase 5, opposite to Kalyan Jewellers, went viral on the social media capturing the attention of the people across the globe.
Though this is nothing new as there are instances of scores of IT professionals after losing their jobs took to catering business during COVID pandemic lockdown, Maninder Singh’s story from software coding to culinary is making headlines creating an awareness among the present gen about the significance of dignity of labour as to the words of Martin Luther King Jr, “No work is insignificant”.
The content creator of Instagram channel ‘Real Foodler’ Omar had posted the video wherein Maninder Singh is seen catering food items to customers. The video clipping revealed the techie opening up his heart about his decision to return to his motherland after his dad’s passing away. Thanks to his spouse who through her culinary experience helped him with his street food business. Just started in January, he fervently hopes to make it big.
Making it clear that he wasn’t deported from the US, he went on to say that he is devoted to a new career path. Maninder Singh with over a decade experience in the software field worked in New York for three years before flying back to his hometown. And the items include Rajma, Chawal, Kadhi Pakoda, Chapatis, Soya Chaap and Mango Lassi. Like the proverbial ‘Slow and Steady wins the race’, he is leaving no stone unturned to make it a profitable biz.
In the video, Singh could be seen whipping out his driving licence from New York as proof that he once lived in the Big Apple. He explained that he has 12 years of total work experience in tech, retail, call centres besides software. Maninder Singh reported saying that he won’t return to the US even if he gets another chance as he is very much inclined to his hometown. Of course, satisfaction is more important than money.
Meanwhile, Singh reported saying that he is planning to add more to the menu to attract more customers. In fact, his video on the social media platform gave a pep to his venture. No gainsaying the fact that all work that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance. For Maninder Singh, ‘Work is worship’ and brushes aside criticisms from his near and dear.
In India, the stigma attached to certain kinds of jobs is very high which won’t augur well for the society whereas in the US it’s not so as everyone takes up a job that comes their way without any hesitance. There is an imperative need to bring this sort of culture in India too, particularly among the nextgen. Definitely, there is no dearth of opportunities to those who are committed to excel. That’s the success mantra.
Maninder Singh’s journey reflects a growing trend among young Indians prioritising passion and mental well-being over traditional career paths, as seen in his choice to sell street food instead of returning to an IT job. Undoubtedly, he proved as to the quote of Tim Notke, a basketball coach – Hard Work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.
According to Layoffs, fyi and TrueUp trackers report, across roughly 284 tech companies, more than 62,000 jobs were eliminated between January and May 2025. Meanwhile, a RationalFX industry report suggests that there will be over 90,500 global tech layoffs by June end this fiscal. The rate of unemployment in the US in April was 24.3%, which rose 0.03% from the previous month, as per the Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity (LISEP) data, reported Moneywise. LISEP’s True Rate of Unemployment (TRU) includes the data of the unemployed people in the US and also the workers who are employed but still struggling, according to the report.
[The author is a former Indian Express and Deccan Chronicle chief]
