“India’s Brain Drain Is to the Scroll”: Anupam Mittal’s Viral Rant Sparks Digital Wake-Up Call

In a candid and emotionally charged LinkedIn post, Anupam Mittal, the entrepreneur behind Shaadi.com and a prominent figure in India’s startup ecosystem, has sounded the alarm on what he calls the country’s "real brain drain" — not to foreign shores, but to smartphone screens.

“India’s biggest brain drain isn’t to Silicon Valley. It’s to the scroll,” Mittal stated in his LinkedIn post, setting the tone for a post that blends personal reflection with sharp cultural critique.

While Mittal expresses optimism about India's potential to produce the next wave of global entrepreneurs — “I have put my money on it,” he writes. However, he maintained that he is equally troubled by the silent epidemic of “digital overstimulation”.

According to him, India is becoming home to “the largest army of thumb warriors — overstimulated, under-inspired people who are weirdly okay with it.”

The post, which was appreciated by parents, educators, and professionals, highlights a deepening concern: India’s rapid digitisation has outpaced its cultural readiness.

Also Read: Forcing People to Clock Long hours 'Outdated', Tone Deaf: Anupam Mittal Enters 90-Hour Workweek Debate | Republic World

“We didn’t evolve with media like the West did, Radio → TV → Cable → Internet. We leapfrogged straight to Reels. And then fell right in,” he noted.

He recalls how even his seven-year-old begins by watching innocent cartoons like Peppa Pig, only to end up caught in a stream of chaotic, algorithm-fed content. The underlying message is clear — attention is being captured, monetised, and, perhaps most worryingly, numbed.

Mittal doesn’t shy away from tough observations. “We’re raising a generation that doesn’t play. Teens that don’t talk. Adults that don’t think — just scroll,” he notes, painting a bleak picture of what constant digital consumption is doing to human connection and creativity.

Importantly, the post avoids preaching. It’s not a call to uninstall apps or renounce technology. Instead, Mittal frames it as a “rant from a concerned father” — and an invitation to start a conversation about where we’re headed.

Ratnamala Yadav, a freelance web developer, while agreeing with Anupam Mittal stated, “My daughter is 1.5 yrs old and i have been trying very hard since the beginning to keep her away from screens. Not an easy feat for a mother who develops websites for a living! “

Similarly, Saroj Boradia, a Work Culture Consultant, while replying to Mittal's post, stated. “Yes, it is a big concern not only for our kids but even for our age. The other day, I was at a restaurant, and there was a group of 12-14 elite educate youngsters with 2-3 kids of 2-3 years of age. As soon as they settled at their table each parent gave their mobile phone to their young ones and got busy talking with the group, while the kids were happy scrolling or head in the mobiles. Parents for their convenience are making their kids habituated to mobile phone and then theymake huge cry as they are always on their mobiles.”