What’s the story?
A PhD scholar running a street food cart in Chennai recently caught the attention of popular American vlogger Christopher Lewis during his exploration of Tamil Nadu. Lewis discovered the food cart through Google Maps and visited it, where he ordered the highly popular dish Chicken 65 and struck up a conversation with the vendor. To his surprise, the vendor revealed that he was currently pursuing a PhD in Biotechnology and shared that his research articles could be found on Google under the name “Tarul Rayan SRM University.”
The encounter was captured on video, which quickly went viral after being shared on X (formerly Twitter) by user FI_InvestIndia. The video, with over 81.8K views, sparked admiration and respect from users. The post highlighted the vendor’s impressive educational background, with many viewers praising his dedication.
Not a new phenomenon
Several users in the comments mentioned that it is common for students in Tamil Nadu to work part-time while pursuing higher education to support their families. One user shared a similar story about a student helping her mother at a corn stall on Marina Beach while attending college. This story resonated with many, showcasing the culture of hard work and family support prevalent in the region.
However, some users attempted to frame the video in a north vs. south context, claiming that southern India focuses more on education, while northern India is more concerned with religion and caste. Despite this divisive take, the overall sentiment remained positive, with praise for the vendor’s work ethic and determination.
The latest trend of viral entrepreneurs
This story is reminiscent of other viral entrepreneurs in India, such as MBA Chaiwali and BTech Panipuri Wali, who have gained social media fame while breaking stereotypes about education and entrepreneurship in the country. This showcases the strong sentiment echoed by the latest generation that aims to embrace entrepreneurship, while emphasising on a strong educational foundation.
