Has India’s Gen Z had it too easy? Shark Tank India judge and People Group CEO Anupam Mittal thinks so and says their real character will only emerge when crisis finally strikes.
In a LinkedIn post, Mittal reflected on how younger Indians have come of age in an era defined by growth, not disruption. “India’s Gen Z and millennials have grown up in an economy that only went one way, up,” he wrote. “No wars. No recessions. No real resets.”
While this upward run has created a generation flush with optimism and access, Mittal warned it may also have bred a dangerous kind of comfort. “That’s comforting but also dangerous,” he noted. “Because comfort breeds complacency.”
He acknowledged the common perception that today’s youth are entitled, calling it “circumstantially true”—but added that some of his best colleagues and even mentors are Gen Z. “A few of the most brilliant people I work with are Gen Z & are my mentors,” he said, adding nuance to the generational stereotype.
Mittal’s broader argument is rooted in history: “Every generation is forged by its crisis.” He pointed to how World War II built resilience, how the 1970s stagflation bred pragmatism, and how India’s 1991 financial crisis led to economic liberalization.
“Interestingly, the current gen hasn’t had one yet,” he said. But when their moment comes, he believes it will unlock a wave of untapped potential. “We will see the emergence of India’s young and raw talent unleash its full potential, all the way to the top.”
His closing message was clear and sharp: “The world doesn’t reward entitlement, it rewards evolution.”
