This Mumbai barber earns ₹1 lakh monthly, files tax returns. Here's his story
The barber also said tax was deducted from his earnings at source and that he filed income tax returns
- Oct 13, 2026,
- Updated Oct 13, 2026 2:30 AM IST
A barber from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh is earning nearly ₹1 lakh a month in Mumbai.
The man reportedly works six days a week, from morning to night, and prefers the independence of his current work over the security of an entry-level government job.
Harsh Gupta Madhusudan, an author and fund manager, shared the story on X. He booked the barber through Urban Company for a haircut. "The barber has been in Mumbai for some time but is from Azamgarh. Works six days a week, morning to night and earns around a lakh rupees per month after his basic travel expenses," Madhusudan wrote on X.
According to Madhusudan, the barber said he would not take an entry-level government job even if one were offered, because he likes his work and the autonomy it provides. He also expressed the view that there was no shortage of jobs or opportunities for people willing to work hard.
The income figure and other details are based on Madhusudan’s account of the conversation and have not been independently verified. This cannot be considered the typical income of every barber.
Earning in Mumbai, Supporting His Family
The barber also said tax was deducted from his earnings at source and that he filed income tax returns. Madhusudan said the worker has a young son enrolled in a private pre-school, while his wife—who had also contributed to the household income—was currently taking a break to care for the child.
This means that by working in Mumbai, he is not only fulfilling his own needs but also fulfilling his family's responsibilities.
DO CHECKOUT: From ₹15,000 to ₹36,000: She never became a teacher—but what happened next transformed her life
Social media reactions
The post drew mixed reactions, with some users praising the barber’s reported earnings and independence, while others cautioned against treating one person’s experience as representative of gig workers more broadly.
One user wrote, “If you do a back calculation - to earn 1 lakh per month post deductions, expenses, and travel, you’d come to know either this 1L number is fake or this is just one in a million case. Most UC workers I’ve spoken to earn 30-65k, and these are the highly skilled ones.”
Another user said, “Most of the barbers in Chennai are from Azamgarh, Meerut and Kanpur-type areas. They get ₹25,000–30,000 per month plus accommodation. In UP, their earnings can’t cross ₹7,000–8,000 even in the top 10 cities. Quite surprised that they can earn ₹1 lakh by just offering doorstep services.”
"The jobs created due to gig work, supported by India's moderate to high state capacity in digital infra, are indeed underappreciated," said one user.
While another added, "I got my AC installed yesterday. The guy charged Rs 2000 to install an AC and does at least 4-5 of them a day. Now do the maths."
A third user said the barber’s success was encouraging but argued that his experience should not be viewed as representative of the wider employment situation in India. The user wrote, “I am happy he is flourishing as a barber doing gig work. But a large pool of educated Indians aren't employed in fields like STEM.
A barber from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh is earning nearly ₹1 lakh a month in Mumbai.
The man reportedly works six days a week, from morning to night, and prefers the independence of his current work over the security of an entry-level government job.
Harsh Gupta Madhusudan, an author and fund manager, shared the story on X. He booked the barber through Urban Company for a haircut. "The barber has been in Mumbai for some time but is from Azamgarh. Works six days a week, morning to night and earns around a lakh rupees per month after his basic travel expenses," Madhusudan wrote on X.
According to Madhusudan, the barber said he would not take an entry-level government job even if one were offered, because he likes his work and the autonomy it provides. He also expressed the view that there was no shortage of jobs or opportunities for people willing to work hard.
The income figure and other details are based on Madhusudan’s account of the conversation and have not been independently verified. This cannot be considered the typical income of every barber.
Earning in Mumbai, Supporting His Family
The barber also said tax was deducted from his earnings at source and that he filed income tax returns. Madhusudan said the worker has a young son enrolled in a private pre-school, while his wife—who had also contributed to the household income—was currently taking a break to care for the child.
This means that by working in Mumbai, he is not only fulfilling his own needs but also fulfilling his family's responsibilities.
DO CHECKOUT: From ₹15,000 to ₹36,000: She never became a teacher—but what happened next transformed her life
Social media reactions
The post drew mixed reactions, with some users praising the barber’s reported earnings and independence, while others cautioned against treating one person’s experience as representative of gig workers more broadly.
One user wrote, “If you do a back calculation - to earn 1 lakh per month post deductions, expenses, and travel, you’d come to know either this 1L number is fake or this is just one in a million case. Most UC workers I’ve spoken to earn 30-65k, and these are the highly skilled ones.”
Another user said, “Most of the barbers in Chennai are from Azamgarh, Meerut and Kanpur-type areas. They get ₹25,000–30,000 per month plus accommodation. In UP, their earnings can’t cross ₹7,000–8,000 even in the top 10 cities. Quite surprised that they can earn ₹1 lakh by just offering doorstep services.”
"The jobs created due to gig work, supported by India's moderate to high state capacity in digital infra, are indeed underappreciated," said one user.
While another added, "I got my AC installed yesterday. The guy charged Rs 2000 to install an AC and does at least 4-5 of them a day. Now do the maths."
A third user said the barber’s success was encouraging but argued that his experience should not be viewed as representative of the wider employment situation in India. The user wrote, “I am happy he is flourishing as a barber doing gig work. But a large pool of educated Indians aren't employed in fields like STEM.