Hotmail co-founder Sabeer Bhatia has stirred a fierce debate on social media platform X after criticizing India’s pride in becoming the world’s fourth-largest economy. In a sharply worded post, the Indian-American entrepreneur slammed the celebration, citing widespread poverty in the country.
“Instead of hanging your head in shame that 415 million people in India survive on $3.10/day, you brag about being the world’s 4th largest economy. Shame on you,” Bhatia wrote.
Instead of hanging your head in shame that 415 million people in India survive on $3.10/day, you brag about being the world’s 4th largest economy. Shame on you.
— Sabeer Bhatia (@sabeer) June 10, 2025
The post triggered a wave of angry reactions, with many users accusing Bhatia of being disconnected from the country and using social media for attention. One user responded, “What happened to Rafael? You were supposed to gift the nation. Do something productive in life.” Bhatia replied, “Another personal attack. When losers like you don’t know how to counter my way of thinking, you resort to personal attacks. Weak minded and insecure.”
Others questioned his contributions to India. “Come back to India and make something like Hotmail… The irony is that India produces such wasteful talents,” another user commented. A third user said, “We, Indians living in India, don’t need validation or permission from you to feel proud about something. And if you must know, please consult @WorldBank about facts before blabbering anything you wish!”
While most responses were critical, a small section of users agreed with Bhatia’s concerns about income inequality and called for more meaningful discourse on the country’s development trajectory.