Former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai has hit back at Hotmail founder Sabeer Bhatia for questioning whether “Indians can feel GDP in their pockets”. Tagging Bhatia as an “economic refugee” who left India years ago, Pai said he has no standing to comment on the country’s economic progress.
“Man, Sabeer Bhatia, you are an economic refugee, left India long ago,” Pai said on X. He added, “Good riddance to bad rubbish”.
The Padma Shri Awardee further said that Bhatia should not comment on India’s GDP, adding, “We will grow India and build our future. We do not need you.”
Pai went as far as calling Bhatia “toxic” and asked him to “shut up”. “So, stop pontificating and shut up… You are toxic and a hate monger.”
Man @sabeer you are an economic refugee, left India long ago. Good riddance to bad rubbish. You had no role in India’s progress. So stop pontificating and shut up. We will grow India and build our future. We do not need you. You are toxic and a hate monger. https://t.co/ETpI4ViUuy
— Mohandas Pai (@TVMohandasPai) May 30, 2025
Bhatia shared a video on X (formerly Twitter) after India surpassed Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy with a GDP of $4 trillion and called it a “meaningless milestone”. He added that a meaningful milestone would have been that “every child born after 2010 has been educated by the country, or we have created 100M new jobs as per this year’s jobs data”.
“We overtook Japan in GDP… but can you feel it in your pocket? Growth without distribution is just inflation in disguise,” Bhatia posted on X (formerly Twitter).
We overtook Japan in GDP……but can you feel it in your pocket?
— Sabeer Bhatia (@sabeer) May 28, 2025
Growth without distribution is just inflation in disguise. pic.twitter.com/mwZEVV7hcf
While replying to a social media user, he added, “I’m not mocking progress. I’m just asking people to not celebrate until we have achieved 100% literacy – a goal that is very doable using AI.”
He described his remarks as “positive criticism” and not cynicism. “I love India and I love each and every one of you,” he said in a post. “I want to see an India that improves the lives of all its citizens, especially those at the bottom of the pyramid. If we can change their lives, all the other numbers will take care of themselves.”
He argues that real progress lies in mass education and empowering people through critical thinking. “Just mass educate the entire population of the country. Today, that is possible with the help of AI. But if we stick to rote learning, memorisation, and chasing exam scores, that is completely useless.”
NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam has said that India is poised to become the world’s third-largest economy within the next two to three years, provided the current growth trajectory continues.