‘Leave India, it’s high time’: Startup founder’s advice to high-earning Indians

An Indian entrepreneur and startup founder recently shared his thoughts on Reddit, advising “highly paid professionals” to consider moving abroad, arguing that while India is a great country, it may not be the ideal place to foster innovation.

In a post on the r/India subreddit, the user explained that he studied at one of India’s top engineering institutes before pursuing a PhD in the U.S. He went on to work at a major bank before returning to India in 2018 to start his own company.

He noted that after securing significant funding, he is “running successfully”. “I employ about 30 people who pay an average salary of Rs 15 lakh,” the user shared.

“Get out of India! It is high time. And I say this as someone who runs a well-funded business.” he wrote in the caption of his detailed post.

The entrepreneur gave several reasons to advise those looking to build something “innovative” to consider relocating, arguing that innovation in India is being stifled by “stupid” regulations.

“You have to be a bureaucrat, a politician or a celebrity to get things done. Let me give you an example. We had a fraud case on our app. We cracked the case and helped the victim. Guess what?” what is it, we are accused, and the police do not close the case and expect money from us”, he shared.

The user also pointed to the issue of regional disparity, stating that he experiences “regional hatred” almost every week from sabziwalas, auto drivers, taxi drivers, restaurant staff, etc. He further criticized the “low work ethic” among Indians, adding that in India “if you don’t look rich or wear branded clothes, you’re dirt in this country.”