Shark Tank India judge Anupam Mittal warns of India’s ‘biggest brain drain’, not to Silicon Valley, but to …

Shark Tank India judge Anupam Mittal recently started a debate on social media addiction. In a long LinkedIn post, Mittal said that India’s biggest brain drain isn’t talent leaving for Silicon Valley, but rather millions of minds lost to mindless scrolling. Mittal also expressed his concern over the digital consumption habits of Indians. He said that while the country is moving towards producing the next wave of global entrepreneurs, it is also building an army of overstimulated and under-inspired individuals. A billion screens. A billion brains. And what do most do with them? Watch prank videos, swipe choreographed dances, and overdose on AI-generated ‘wisdom’ like it’s roti-sabzi,” wrote Mittal.Along with this, Mittal also emphasised that unlike the West, which evolved through radio, TV, cable, and then the internet, India jumped straight to Reels—and fell right in. He shared a personal anecdote about his 7-year-old, who starts watching Peppa Pig but ends up in a glitchy vortex of algorithm-driven content.With AI intensifying digital stimulation, Mittal warned that India is raising a generation that doesn’t play, teens that don’t talk, and adults that don’t think—just scroll. “Feels like a ‘Black Mirror’ episode no one signed up for,” he remarked.

India’s biggest brain drain isn’t to Silicon Valley. It’s to the scroll.

Yes, I believe the next wave of global entrepreneurs will come from India

💪🏼

I have put my money on it

🤷🏼

But we’re ALSO building the largest army of thumb warriors – overstimulated, under-inspired people, who’re weirdly okay with it.

A billion screens.

A billion brains.

And what do most do with them?

Watch prank videos, swipe choreographed dances, and overdose on AI-generated “wisdom” like it’s roti-sabzi.

We didn’t evolve with media like the West did.

Radio → TV → Cable → Internet

We leapfrogged straight to Reels. And then fell right in

🫠

Even my 7-year-old starts with Peppa Pig and ends up in a vortex of glitchy animation and algorithmic chaos.

TikTok, Insta & YT did their job — they captured attention and monetized it.

But what did we lose in the process?

Teens that don’t talk.

Adults that don’t think – just scroll.

With AI, the stimulation will only intensify.

Opportunity?

✅

Dystopia? Also

✅

Feels like a ‘Black Mirror’ episode no one signed up for

😵‍💫

This isn’t a call to delete Social apps. It’s not even a solution.

It’s a rant from a concerned father.

And maybe, a conversation about our children.

Curious to hear from other parents, professionals, educators, and entrepreneurs

What are you doing about this?

And how do we make sure the India we’re building doesn’t forget to look up?