It was a rainy day in Delhi when Chandrashekhar Mandal stood on his office balcony, coffee in hand, and watched a line of daily wage workers take shelter from the downpour. The sight brought back memories of his childhood in rural Darbhanga, Bihar, where his relatives struggled daily to find work and stability.
That day changed everything. Chandrashekhar began to ask himself “If the world can go digital for jobs and business, why can’t labour chowks?”
Little did he know that this simple question would spark a movement to bring dignity, opportunity, and digital identity to India’s most invisible workforce.
From Vision to Reality: The Birth of Digital Labour Chowk
When the COVID-19 lockdown hit, millions of migrant workers lost their livelihoods overnight. The heartbreaking images of people walking hundreds of kilometres back to their villages deeply affected Chandrashekhar.
Determined to make a difference, he quit his corporate job in 2020 with just ₹20,000 in hand and founded Digital Labour Chowk, a platform that connects daily wage labourers with employers online.
His vision was simple yet powerful:
➡️ To move the physical “labour chowk” to a digital space.
➡️ To help blue-collar workers find steady, safe jobs without standing on the streets.
➡️ To give every worker an identity and a voice.
A Platform Built with Heart and Hope
Chandrashekhar spent four months visiting labour chowks across Bihar, Delhi, and Noida, speaking with workers and understanding their pain. He realised that over 71 million workers were employed in India’s construction sector yet more than 80% were unskilled and unorganised.
So he built Digital Labour Chowk Pvt. Ltd., with initial funding of ₹10 lakh from a Pune-based incubator. The platform allows masons, carpenters, electricians, and other workers to find verified jobs nearby and allows contractors to post projects directly.
To reach workers, Chandrashekhar and his small team used a beautiful mix of human touch and technology visiting labour chowks with drinks in summer and tea in winter, explaining how they could register for free and find steady work.
How It Works
✅ Workers create profiles listing their skills, experience, and expected wages.
✅ Contractors post job requirements location, type of work, pay, and duration.
✅ The platform connects both sides seamlessly.
Workers get access to jobs for free, while employers pay a small subscription. Many jobs last 21 days or more, ensuring steady income for families.
To date, over one lakh workers have benefitted from the platform, finding stable employment and, more importantly, a sense of dignity.
Lives Transformed
Take for instance Shrawan Kumar from Darbhanga, who now works in Rajasthan. “I’ve earned in one year what I used to earn in three,” he shares. “Now, I don’t have to stand in the heat waiting for work. I can plan my future.”
For Sumit Kumar, a migrant worker from Gopalganj, it meant something even more personal: “I can work close to my family. I don’t have to live miles away anymore.”
Even employers have felt the change. Azhar Ansari, who runs a construction firm in Uttar Pradesh, says, “We used to struggle to find labourers. Now, we just post on the app. It saves time and ensures reliability.”
Recognition and Future Goals
Recognised by Startup India, Startup Bihar, and Citibank, Digital Labour Chowk is redefining how India looks at its informal workforce.
Chandrashekhar’s next goal is to launch digital labour cards for all registered users and introduce skill development programs to upskill workers.
His mission is clear: “To give every worker a credible virtual identity and transform the unorganised sector into a community of empowered individuals.”
A Movement, Not Just a Startup
At Take Care International Foundation, we celebrate changemakers like Chandrashekhar Mandal, who prove that real innovation lies in compassion. His journey reminds us that technology becomes truly powerful when it uplifts the people who build our cities, homes, and dreams.
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