Hotmail co-founder Sabeer Bhatia has once again stirred the pot with his bold claim: “99% of Indian engineers just give gyaan,” spotlighting a perceived innovation deficit in India’s tech ecosystem. Speaking on a recent podcast, Bhatia criticized the trend of Indian engineering graduates shifting to management roles instead of building tangible products, questioning the country’s work ethic and its ability to rival global innovators like China.
Sabeer Bhatia Ignites Debate: Are Indian Engineers Stifling Innovation?
Bhatia, a Silicon Valley veteran who revolutionized email with Hotmail, argued that India’s education system and cultural mindset prioritize theoretical knowledge—or “gyaan”—over hands-on creation. “We celebrate business gurus who outsource rather than code,” he remarked, pointing to a “trader mindset” that favors replication over originality. His comments have sparked a heated debate online, with some praising his candor and others defending India’s engineering legacy, citing advancements in AI, space tech, and startups like Zoho.
This isn’t Bhatia’s first critique. Earlier this year, he called India’s $1.3 billion Aadhaar project a “misstep,” suggesting a $20 million alternative using video and voice tech. As of April 08, 2025, his latest remarks coincide with growing calls for education reform, echoing sentiments from Infosys’ Narayana Murthy and G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant about modernizing IIT curricula.
Will India heed Bhatia’s wake-up call and shift toward a culture of “doing” over “talking”? The jury’s out, but the conversation is louder than ever.
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