‘People got richer. Their diets got poorer’: Austrian man on how India has changed

Wolfgang Bergthaler, an Austrian man who has been visiting India for the past 22 years, has shared his observations on how the country has evolved. In a LinkedIn post, he highlighted several changes, including pollution, unhealthy eating habits, the rise of social media, and increasingly transactional relationships. Bergthaler acknowledged that India still offers numerous business opportunities, describing them as "endless" and a way for people to build wealth.

However, he expressed concerns about the lack of clean air and water, organic food, and privacy, stating that while people have become richer, their diets have gotten poorer. He also raised concerns about the growing influence of social media, noting that attention spans have shortened and conversations have become increasingly superficial.

Bergthaler pointed out that although Indian companies have embraced global technology and working methods, traditional hierarchies and power structures have remained largely unchanged. He also commented on shifting consumer expectations, noting that for every rupee spent, there are 1,000 expectations. Bergthaler's observations generated a debate on LinkedIn, with some users agreeing with his assessment and others questioning whether his experience was limited to India's larger cities.

Some argued that his observations reflected a wider global shift, pointing out that many of the changes he identified are not unique to India but are common in Europe as well.