'COVID was a breather...': Haryana delivery boy cracks CAT, joins top B-school

A Haryana-based man has inspired thousands online after sharing his journey from working as a Zomato delivery rider during one of the toughest phases of his life to securing admission at the prestigious Faculty of Management Studies.

In a LinkedIn post titled “From a Zomato Delivery rider to FMS Delhi,” Girish Sharma reflected on years of struggle, uncertainty and perseverance before finally achieving his goal of studying at one of Delhi’s top B-schools.

“Six years back, I had lost all my ambitions in the pursuit of daily survival,” Sharma wrote. He revealed that just before the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked as a Zomato delivery rider while also teaching students and taking up several small jobs to support himself.

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Pandemic became a turning point

According to Sharma, the pandemic became a major turning point in his life. “COVID was a breather where I realised this is not something I want to continue in my life,” he said.

After several attempts, he secured a competitive percentile in CAT 2023 and received interview calls from multiple institutes. However, Sharma said most colleges either rejected or waitlisted him. He also mentioned receiving one admission offer earlier, but decided against taking it because he was not satisfied with the opportunity.

This year, Sharma announced that he would be joining the Faculty of Management Studies.

Mentors and friends supported him

In his post, Sharma also expressed gratitude to the mentors, educators and friends who supported him throughout the journey.

“There was a whole force of people - mentors, friends, colleagues - who stood beside me throughout,” he wrote, while thanking coaching faculty members and interview mentors who helped him build confidence during preparation.

Concluding his post, Sharma encouraged others struggling with setbacks to keep going. “If you're somewhere in the middle of your own version of this, keep going,” he wrote.

LinkedIn users praise his journey

The post received widespread appreciation on LinkedIn, with several users praising Sharma’s determination and resilience.

One user said, “a truly inspiring story that reflects the power of determination, hard work and self belief,” while adding that circumstances do not define a person’s potential.

A second user noted that Sharma’s transition from delivery rider to FMS Delhi was “a complete reset and rebuild of direction,” and praised him for continuing despite repeated setbacks.

Another professional highlighted the emotional struggles behind such journeys and said people often overlook “the mental strain behind repeated failures” while only focusing on the final success.

A fourth user wrote that Sharma’s story showed how patience, consistency and belief in oneself can slowly change the course of life, even during extremely difficult circumstances.