Pune-Mumbai Cab Ride Reveals Story Of Parag Patil, Athlete With 22 International Medals

Mumbai, 15th August 2026: A routine cab ride between Pune and Mumbai has brought attention to the inspiring story of Parag Patil, an Indian Masters athlete who works as a cab driver while continuing to compete at international events.

A video shared on Instagram shows Patil speaking about his sporting journey during the ride. He revealed that he begins his day around 4:30 am, trains for about two hours and then works as a cab driver to support himself and fund his sporting career.

Patil has represented India at several international Masters athletics competitions and has won 22 medals so far, four gold, twelve silver and six bronze. His current target, however, is much bigger: 100 medals.

His journey in athletics began in 1988. Over the years, he has competed at events including the World Masters Games and Australian Masters Games. At the 2025 Australian Masters Games in Canberra, Patil won five medals across different events, including gold in the long jump and triple jump, silver in the 60m and bronze in the 100m and 200m. This took his international medal tally to 22.

Patil’s sporting journey has also involved significant financial challenges. The Indian Express reported in 2019 that he had struggled to raise money for his participation in the Australian Masters Games, including expenses for travel, accommodation and registration.

In 2024, Patil began driving a cab to support his family. According to ThePrint, financial difficulties and unsuccessful attempts to find suitable employment led him to take up driving, even as he continued training and competing.

His story first received widespread attention after a passenger discovered during an Ola ride that Patil was an international Masters athlete. The interaction went viral, bringing attention to the financial difficulties faced by an athlete who had continued representing India despite limited resources.

Rather than stepping away from athletics, Patil has continued to compete and train alongside his work. His participation in the 2025 Australian Masters Games showed that the demanding combination has not stopped him from adding more medals to his record.

Patil’s story also highlights the challenges faced by veteran athletes, particularly those competing in Masters events, where athletes often have to manage travel, training and competition expenses themselves.

For Patil, the goal remains clear. Between long hours behind the wheel and early-morning training sessions, he continues to chase the next medal with his sights set on reaching 100.