India

IIT Alumni Shocked by Pani Puri Vendor’s ₹1.2 Lakh Monthly Profit, Four Stalls, and SUV

By Anjali Thakur

Four IIT graduates were surprised when they learned that a pani puri vendor earns ₹1.2 lakh in monthly profit from a single stall. The discovery came during a casual conversation that turned into a discussion about business profits, entrepreneurship, and the financial realities of corporate employment. The video was shared on Instagram by Vaishnavi Srivastav, an IIT Guwahati graduate, and featured her friends from IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, and IIT Hyderabad. Srivastav said, “Guys, we are in shock because we have spoken to a guy from Pani puri. And guess what? What is his monthly income? 1,20,000. Profit.” She clarified that the amount was the vendor’s profit after expenses, not total sales. The vendor works from 4 pm to 10 pm, spending about six hours at the counter, and is his own boss, able to open or close his stall on Sundays. The group noted that the stall they visited is not his only outlet; he operates three additional stalls, bringing his total monthly profit across four outlets to over ₹4.5 lakh. Srivastav also mentioned that the vendor owns his house and a Scorpio SUV. The video, captioned “It’s not IITians V/S Panipuri wala, it’s actually corporate majdoor V/S entrepreneur,” sparked online discussion about the physical labor and preparation required in street‑food business versus corporate work. Users commented on the vendor’s hard work in extreme weather and the substantial earnings from a simple food stall. Anjali Thakur, Senior Assistant Editor with Mint, reported on the trending story.