Entrepreneur and investor Sam Baisla has sparked a heated debate with a strongly worded LinkedIn post criticizing the community’s response to Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s recent comments. Baisla specifically called out boAt co-founder Aman Gupta for praising the minister’s remarks.
Aman Gupta praised Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s remarks at the Startup Mahakumbh 2025, saying it’s “not every day that the government asks founders to dream bigger”. Gupta interpreted Goyal’s comments as encouragement, with the minister questioning why Indian founders focus on “consumer tech” instead of “deep tech” or innovation-led ventures. However, entrepreneur and investor Sam Baisla strongly disagreed, sparking a debate in the Indian startup ecosystem. The differing views highlight the ongoing discussion around India’s startup priorities and the role of government in shaping the industry’s direction.
Sam Baisla strongly criticized Aman Gupta’s response to Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s comments. Baisla stated that “Everything is wrong with this attitude” and argued that Gupta’s statement implied he needed a minister’s “public ridicule and mockery” to begin dreaming bigger. Baisla posed three critical questions aimed at Gupta and the broader Indian startup and investor ecosystem.
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“Government’s job is to facilitate and serve the citizens, not to ridicule, blame, and call them lazy. Why aren’t the corporate leaders asking the government questions?” he asked.
Sam Baisla countered the notion that Indian talent lacks ambition or work ethic, pointing to the global success of Indian entrepreneurs. He questioned, “If people are lazy and dumb, why do they flourish abroad?” highlighting the achievements of Indians who build global-scale companies when they venture outside the country. This argument challenges the idea that Indian entrepreneurs need government prodding to dream big, instead emphasizing the talent and capabilities of Indian professionals.
Baisla strongly criticized the tendency of Indian startups to curry favor with powerful individuals rather than standing up for what’s right. He stated, “The attitude of sucking up to powerful people and not standing up for what is right is the cancer of our country.” Baisla warned that this culture of sycophancy, encapsulated in the phrase “ji sir, hum hi gadhe hain” (yes sir, we are the donkeys), will have long-term consequences and “will destroy the future of our next generations.”
The startup community’s reaction to Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s comments has been mixed. Many entrepreneurs expressed frustration on social media, attributing the sector’s slowdown to bureaucratic hurdles and government red tape. However, some see Goyal’s critique as a necessary check, encouraging startups to innovate more deeply. Others interpret it as a collaborative push toward greater innovation, highlighting differing views within the industry on the role of government in shaping India’s startup ecosystem.
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