In Rangpo, where Sikkim meets West Bengal, keeping goods moving through the supply chain requires more than just roads and vehicles. It demands careful coordination, local knowledge, and the ability to adapt when conditions change without warning. Deliveries here are planned around factory shifts, carried out across uneven terrain, and often completed despite disruptions caused by weather and limited access.

At the Flipkart hub in Rangpo, every day begins with preparation for the unexpected. Shipments are sorted, routes are mapped, and teams work together to ensure orders reach customers on time. Among them are Bivek Chhetri and Susma Tamang, who represent two different but equally important parts of the operation - one overseeing the movement of the supply chain, and the other carrying it forward on the ground. This is their story, in their own words.

Bivek Chhetri: Leading the System Behind the Supply Chain

I am Bivek Chhetri, and I work as a Team Lead at the Flipkart hub in Rangpo. I have been with the organisation for seven years. Today, our team consists of 37 people, including 15 women and 22 men, and we serve two PIN codes in the region.

What makes this area unique is the presence of 52 pharmaceutical companies in and around Rangpo. Because of that, our work revolves heavily around timing. Deliveries cannot simply be planned according to routes, they also have to align with employee shifts. We coordinate our operations around schedules such as 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., visiting these companies at the right time to ensure orders reach customers when they are available.

The monsoon season brings some of our biggest challenges. Landslides are frequent, roads become inaccessible, and connectivity is often disrupted. Yet customer demand does not stop. In places like Samardung and Jholungey, the terrain becomes especially difficult, with deep mud, sinking patches, and stretches where even scooters cannot pass. In such situations, deliveries have to be completed on foot.

That is where our Wishmasters go beyond what is expected. They park their scooters where the road ends and continue the journey on foot if needed. No matter how difficult the conditions, they find a way to fulfill customer orders and return with a smile. That is why I consider them the real heroes of this operation.

At present, we have 16 Wishmasters who operate on bikes and 21 who deliver on foot. The challenges faced by our foot-delivery Wishmasters are significant, but one thing that stands out is the support of the local community. People understand the nature of the work and often help wherever they can.

Our responsibility does not end once a delivery is completed. Back at the hub, we ensure that materials are properly segregated, disposed of responsibly, and that the workspace remains clean and organised. We also guide team members on maintaining operational discipline, such as keeping delivery bags within camera visibility, while building positive relationships with the communities they serve.

We now see nearly 60% repeat customers, and digital payments have become the norm, with widespread QR adoption making transactions quicker and more seamless. But behind all these, what truly keeps the operation moving is the team itself. The Wishmasters are the pillars of this system. Everything we do is aimed at supporting them and helping them succeed.

Susma Tamang: Learning the Route, Finding My Place

My name is Susma Tamang. I am 20 years old, and I am from Rangpo.

I completed my education here up to Class 10. I joined Flipkart during The Big Billion Days in 2025. I first became interested in the job after seeing deliveries happening around me. Since I used to order from Flipkart myself, I was curious about the work. From the beginning, everyone was supportive, and over time it started to feel like family.

Because I have lived here for so long, I know the area very well. I know almost every nook and corner, which makes navigating my routes much easier. My father taught me how to ride a scooter, and the scooter I use for deliveries today is the one he gave me.

In the beginning, I used to be nervous on the road. Whenever I saw a car approaching, I would get scared. The memories of the floods and landslides were still fresh in my mind, and they made me anxious. But with time, I became more confident. Today, I no longer feel that fear.

One of the things I am most proud of is being able to support my family. Before the floods, my family lived in a village under the bridge. My grandparents lived there too, and it was home for all of us. After the floods, however, everything changed. We had to move, and now I live with my mother and father in a room nearby. My brother is still studying. I give all of my earnings to my parents, and they are very happy with the work I do.

My day begins at the hub, where I collect my parcels before heading out on my route. What I enjoy the most about the job is interacting with the customers. Before joining Flipkart, I was quite introverted and rarely spoke openly with people. Delivering orders every day changed that. Gradually, I became more comfortable talking to customers and engaging with different people.

Like any customer-facing role, some interactions are easy and some are challenging. Overall, though, people here are supportive. Many customers know us personally because we deliver to them regularly.

On an average day, I deliver around 60 packages. During The Big Billion Days, the workload increases significantly, but I adjust my schedule and manage the additional volume.

Rangpo is a good place to live and work. Sometimes I think about how it was before the floods, when the village was still there and life felt different. Now parts of it feel emptier than before. But this is still my home. I live here, work here, and every day I continue to support my family while building a future for myself.

Whether coordinating hundreds of shipments from the hub or navigating familiar yet challenging roads to deliver them, individuals like Bivek and Susma form the backbone of a supply chain network that keeps the entire region connected. No matter how the terrain shifts, they ensure that Rangpo never stops moving forward.