A 25-Year-Old From West Bengal Was Killed Fighting for Russia. His Grandfather Died of Shock When He Heard.

On the photo: rural Bengal, illustrative 

Indrajit Biswas was 25 years old. He came from Munshipara, a village in Shalkumarhat, Alipurduar district, West Bengal. His family was struggling financially, and in 2024 he traveled to Russia to find work in the hospitality sector - one of many young Indians who have taken up hotel jobs in Russia and other service industry work in recent years hoping for a better income.

By September 2025, he had reportedly joined the Russian Armed Forces. According to his family, the salary on offer was the reason.

Last week, a friend of Indrajit's called the family to tell them he had been killed in the war. His grandfather, Nil Ratan Biswas, did not survive the news. He died of shock shortly after learning that his grandson was gone. 

The story was reported by Millennium Post on 30 June 2026.

See also: Indian POW asks not to send him back to Russia

From Hospitality Work to the Front Line

Indrajit's path follows a pattern that has now been documented across dozens of countries. Young men travel to Russia legally - for jobs in Russia for foreigners in hotels, construction, or security - and later end up in the Russian Armed Forces, drawn in by salaries that far exceed what civilian work pays.

Russia has been aggressively recruiting foreigners into its military since 2022, offering signing bonuses and monthly salaries that look significant against the backdrop of wages in South Asia. For someone supporting a struggling family back home, the offer can seem too good to refuse - and recruiters, both formal and informal, know that.

What they do not make clear is the survival rate. According to data from Ukraine's "I Want to Live" project, 42% of foreign recruits in the Russian Armed Forces are killed within their first four months of deployment. Russia does not repatriate the remains of foreign nationals without significant diplomatic pressure - and even then, it frequently refuses. Indrajit Biswas is now one of those cases.

A Politician Moves. An Administration Is Asked to Act.

Manoj Tigga, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament for Alipurduar, learned of the case through party sources and initiated the process to bring Indrajit's remains home.

On Tuesday, Shankar Sinha, BJP leader and Alipurduar office secretary, visited the district administrative headquarters at Dooars Kanya and met with officials. He urged the administration to coordinate with the Russian Embassy in India and the Embassy of India in Russia to expedite repatriation.

The family is waiting for a body. The diplomacy has begun. Whether Russia cooperates is a separate question - it has a consistent record of refusing to repatriate the remains of foreign nationals killed in its armed forces.

See also: 275 Sri Lankans Killed Fighting for Russia - Veteran's Testimony Exposes What Russian Recruiters Don't Say

For Indians Considering Work in Russia

If you are considering traveling to Russia for work - in hospitality, construction, security, or any other sector - be aware that recruitment into the Russian Armed Forces frequently begins with exactly that kind of civilian job offer. Once in Russia, the pressure to enlist can turn into coercion.

If you or your relative signed or were coerced into signing a contract with the Russian Armed Forces and are looking for a way out - learn about the safe escape option offered about the Ukrainian government.

Source: Millenium Post