"Bengaluru Reminds Me Of Kota": Bombay Shaving Company CEO's Post Divides Internet

If you are an active social media user, you must have come across several posts debating the merits and the demerits of Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. The three metropolitan cities each have a loyal fan base, and tweets discussing their livability often go viral. Recently, Bombay Shaving Company CEO Shantanu Deshpande took to X to draw parallels between Bengaluru and Kota. "Bangalore today reminds me of Kota in 2005," Mr Deshpande wrote. In a detailed post, he stated that just as a small percentage of students in Kota manage to clear entrance exams each year, Bengaluru is also gripped by a similar "ecosystem delusion", where many flock with high hopes but only a few succeed. 

In his post, Mr Deshpande explained that Kota, "the Mecca of IIT-JEE", has an ecosystem designed for success - with top-notch teachers, resources and facilities. However, he said that out of 40,000 students, only about 1,000 would clear the exams. "The other 30-35k just assumed that being in Kota meant JEE rank was done. They believed that sitting in the same classes, eating at the same mess, owning the same books as the top guys was enough. So padhai kam, baatein zyada (less studies, more talks)," the CEO wrote. 

In his post, Mr Deshpande argued that Bengaluru today suffers from a similar "all talk" syndrome: "The bulk reminds me of the 'all talk' gangs of Kota. And that never ended well," he said. He explained how aspiring founders in Bengaluru treat having a pitch deck and a venture capital's LinkedIn connected like an automatic ticket to success, much like how students in Kota assumed attending classes from renowned institutes meant they had already made it. 

"They hang out at the same events as Bhavish or Mukesh or Kunal (JEE toppers of Kota) and feel they're half-way to unicorn by breathing the same air and talking the same language," Mr Deshpande wrote. 

"Every coffee shop has only startup conversations. Much like the messes of Kota - the ones hanging out there discussing JEE were rarely the ones clearing it," he continued. 

Mr Deshpande stressed the need for more founders and companies in India. But he also warned that the current "exosystem delusion" fosters a false sense of accomplishment and entitlement. "All these founders who find their way to Bangalore with a hope to build are needed to be protected and supported. But this strange environment creates unhealthy belief of 'arriving before the fact'. It also creates entitlement in the ecosystem. It's insane how worried founders are about calling their employees back from WFH or attrition," he wrote. 

The CEO urged founders to focus on their businesses rather than getting lost in the city's startup hype. "If you're a founder and starting up in Bangalore, distance yourself from ecosystem and stay closer to your business. And see if you can find mentors outside the city too," he concluded. 

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Mr Deshpande shared the post just a day back. Since then, it has accumulated more than 4,000 reactions and nearly 300 comments. 

Reacting to the post, one user wrote, "I am from Kota. Living in Kota. Have lived in Mumbai & Bangalore extensively. I agree to what you said. Except that, in my expericene - those single digit ranks, those unicorns, and concentration of these high performing entities is due to the power of ecosystem. India needs more such ecosystems spread. Jaipur seems to b be becoming one, specially for DTC fashion". 

"'Some people make it, most don't'. Your post applies to literally everything: people trying to make it in Hollywood, people in Silicon Valley, athletes in college trying it to the major leagues, etc. Respectfully, your post doesn't say much," said another. 

"Focus on business >> networking for sure. But doesn't your circle help? Decluttering is important, but I would love to shift to Bangalore only for that extra external motivation," commented a third user.