Entrepreneur Rohan Verma, CEO and Co-founder of Breathe Well-being, has sparked a conversation on privilege, social mobility and the role of luck in shaping life outcomes with a candid post on LinkedIn that resonated strongly with netizens.
In his post, Verma argued that educational pedigree and family wealth often predetermine opportunities across generations. Drawing a stark contrast between elite and disadvantaged backgrounds, he wrote that children of Ivy League, IIT or IIM graduates are highly likely to attend good colleges themselves, while the children of billionaires almost certainly end up at top global universities before moving into leadership roles. On the other hand, he noted, nearly all low-paid and manual labourers come from poor families, irrespective of their intelligence, talent or work ethic.
“This is how privilege persists over generations,” Verma wrote, adding that many individuals in manual labour roles could just as easily have occupied corporate boardrooms had they been born into different circumstances.
Reflecting on the forces that shape success, he remarked that “probably 90% of life is luck,” while the remaining 10% accounts for genuine stories of people rising against all odds. According to Verma, true humility comes from recognising which parts of one’s life are driven by chance, rather than “drinking our own cool aid.”
The post quickly drew engagement from professionals and students alike, many of whom echoed Verma’s views while sharing personal reflections. One user highlighted the importance of first-generation achievers, saying that real applause belongs to those who are the first in their families to enter top institutions or study abroad. “Earning a seat in rooms full of privilege without being born into it isn’t just success; it’s beating the odds and changing the trajectory for the next generation,” the user wrote.
Another commenter pointed out that social mobility often hinges on a single “first generation” within families — the one that breaks into institutions like IITs, IIMs or AIIMS and enables upward movement for those who follow. According to the user, which generation manages that leap depends on a mix of luck, money, time and wisdom.
A third response broadened the discussion to public policy, arguing that while individual effort matters, environment plays a far greater role. The user stressed the importance of government investment in quality education, nutrition, healthcare and scholarships to make opportunities more equitable, adding that open and accessible AI technologies could further democratise access to learning and healthcare.
