Karan Kalani

[Abijit Ganguly @AbijitG]

Seriously is there any remotely optimistic news coming from anywhere with respect to how our country is doing? Inflation crazy high, petrol prices killing us, flight operations coming down and major cancelations by the duopoly, education at disastrous level with NEET cancellation and CBSE mockery, heat killing us because of crazy unplanned contracts & construction while cutting trees, media as always not giving a f**k downplaying 100s dying in cyclones till another country PM tweets about it, dowry deaths still happening at 15 a day, where is the hope? Where is the accountability? Kare kya bhai hum?

[Options.India @Options_IndiaAB]

I recently spent 2 weeks in China.

6 cities: Shanghai, Beijing, Xi’an, Zhangjiajie, Chongqing and Chengdu.

I went there with curiosity.

Like many Indians, I had heard a lot about China through media, social media and conversations. I expected to see progress, maybe discover some business ideas, and understand what the country is actually building.

I came back with a very uncomfortable feeling.

Not because I found a business idea for myself.

But because I saw 100 things that governments can do when infrastructure, tourism, transport, urban planning and civic systems are treated seriously.

I travelled within China by flights, trains, cars and local transport. The infrastructure was honestly stunning.

Clean cities. Smooth roads. High-speed trains. Well-managed traffic. Public spaces that actually feel designed for people. Tourist destinations that are built, maintained and promoted like national assets.

And then I kept thinking about India.

We keep comparing ourselves to China. Our media keeps telling us how India is catching up, how China is restrictive, how we are better in so many ways.

After spending time there and speaking to people, I realised how much of that narrative is just comfort food.

China is not perfect. No country is.

But on infrastructure, execution, tourism, civic discipline and quality of urban life, they are not 5 years ahead of us.

They are decades ahead.

The saddest part for me was the currency.

Everything felt expensive. Not because China was insanely expensive, but because the rupee has weakened so much that even normal spending starts feeling heavy. As an Indian taxpayer, that genuinely hurt.

We pay taxes. We work hard. We talk about becoming a global power.

But where is the quality of life?

Where is the civic sense?

Where is the infrastructure that makes daily life easier?

Where is the tourism vision beyond religious tourism?

I met travellers from other countries who were excited to visit China because they wanted to see its progress. When I asked about India, many had no real desire to visit. Not out of hate. India simply was not on their aspirational travel list.

That should bother us.

Even the so-called “closed internet” surprised me. We are told people there are missing out because they don’t use Google, Instagram, WhatsApp or Facebook.

But China has built its own digital ecosystem. Payments, maps, transport, messaging, shopping, everything works inside their own infrastructure. People did not seem to feel deprived. They seemed adapted.

Again, this is not a hate post.

I love India. That is exactly why this trip bothered me.

Patriotism cannot only be about saying we are great.

Real patriotism is having the courage to admit where we are falling behind.

China made me realise one thing very clearly:

India’s potential is not the problem.

Execution is.

And unless we stop comforting ourselves with comparisons and start demanding better infrastructure, better governance, better tourism, cleaner cities and a higher quality of life, we will keep celebrating the idea of progress instead of actually living it.

[Akshat Shrivastava @Akshat_World]

A politician in India betrays your trust.
You "unfollow" him.

And, think that's revenge 😂

Well, it is just some dark level of helplessness.
If you think of it: there is nothing else that can be done.

[Akshat Shrivastava @Akshat_World]

It is incredibly tough to build wealth in India.

Not only you are taxed thrice. But, no one supports you if you lose your job. You are basically a cow, who is useful till it gives milk.

All this is: IF you get a good job to begin with.

Try starting a business-- the "unease of doing a business" will make you quit that business.

If somehow you work through these barriers and build a corpus: then your investment options are limited. You can't invest abroad, take leverage etc.

It is as if you are a criminal for even thinking about investing abroad. So you have no choice but to become a forced investor in India.

Then you juggle currency depreciation, limited investment options and constant noise of "SIP karte raho" from people who would sell India. But, move their own portfolio abroad [yes, Coffee Can, you!]

Is India the worst? No, not at all.
There are far worse destinations.

India is full of opportunities. But here your timing matters more.

Example: If you picked a job in IT 30 years ago, you had it good. If you started 5 years ago, you are screwed.

Same applies to investing. If you have no understanding of valuations: just buy land and gold.

SIP returns (if you see on currency adjusted basis) will shock you. Don't do it. It will kill your joy.

[ishmohit @ishmohit1]

Warren Buffett in his last letter to shareholders

Greatness does not come about through accumulating great amounts of money, great amounts of publicity or great power in government. When you help someone in any of thousands of ways, you help the world. Kindness is costless but also priceless. Whether you are religious or not, it’s hard to beat The Golden Rule as a guide to behavior

[Karan Kalani @KaranKalani3]

@zerodha - Please consider introducing an auto-debit feature for quarterly maintenance charges. It’s inconvenient to add funds manually every time, and missing it leads to unnecessary interest charges. @nikhilkamathcio @Nithin0dha

[Ashneer Grover @Ashneer_Grover]

Hotel chains in India - kind request and humble feedback - simply upgrade and put 55” Smart LED TVs in all your rooms. Will cost ₹30K / room (~ 2 days room rate). Utilise the GST rate cuts.

No one uses your outdated slow TVs with your hotel softwares, menus, spa descriptions, 2 remotes and irritating set top boxes.

@TajHotels @OberoiHotels

[Vijay Marathe @Fintech00]

In INDIA, if you want to live peacefully

Mind your own Business is the only strategy which works all the time.

Dont involve into any chaos

Work hard
Make lots of money
Detach yourself from crowded places.

[🚨Indian Gems @IndianGems_]

My Total Income: ₹30,00,000
Income Tax Paid: ₹6,24,000

Net Income Left: ₹23,76,000

Now, if I buy a car worth ₹23.76L:

GST + Cess: ₹11,40,480

Total Tax Paid: ₹6,24,000 + ₹11,40,480 = ₹17,64,480

Govt: ₹17,64,480 💀
Me: ₹12,35,520 🤡

[Arpit Sharma @iArpitSpeaks]

“Kamala Harris will send your children to War. Vote for Trump”

“Mitron! Ye aapki behno ka mangalsutra le jayenge, aapki bhains le jayenge”

Two 🤡 from different parts of the world.

[Fundamental Investor ™ 🇮🇳 @FI_InvestIndia]

To Applaud a Politician for building a Hospital, School, Road etc with Public Taxpayers Money is the same as Applauding an ATM because it gives you Your Money 😃

- Anonymous

[Mini Nair @minicnair]

The 04th largest economy can't analyse Black Box within the country??

[The Kaipullai @thekaipullai]

I am sorry to say this but Mumbai is now unliveable.

It has 3x the population it can support
It's locals have 4x the passengers they are designed for.
It has 2x the number of vehicles that it can support
It has 25% of the buses it needs.
Half the roads are under construction or dug up at any given point in time
The Metro is taking 3x the time it should have taken.
Arterial bridges are built at glacial pace choking the flow of people
Honest people can't buy a house
Rents are 2x what most can afford

The satellite townships haven't developed.

New York has a Jersey City and a Newark. London has a Reading and A Watford.

Mumbai has Vasai Virar and Kalyan

They are unplanned, dirty, have no easy access and no public transport.

So there's nothing that can take Mumbai's load.

If Mumbai was an elevator, if would be beeping so louder than an Air Raid siren.

Basically nothing in the city works anymore.

Yet people flock to it because there is no other option

No other city has the opportunities it has.

No other city offers the livelihoods it does.

But for how long, is the question

[Geiger Capital @Geiger_Capital]

Watching the richest man alive and the most powerful man in the world go head-to-head

[v. Jatin @JatinTweets_]

Old Telegram >>>>

[Pvt. sector exploited tax payer @TaxPayerPvt]

I request everyone to visit abroad once. If you don't have enough money, then alteast visit Sri Lanka or Thailand.

It is then you will realise how the taxpayers are looted in India and provided filthy city infra, garbage all around, no parks, clean air, water

[Pankaj Arora 🇮🇳 @Panks_Arora]

78 years of independence.

"Tax is for nation’s development,” they say.

But where is the nation being developed?

Only highways on the surface

Tax base? Just 1–2%.
90% of that are salaried people taxed without choice.

No clean water.
No quality public education.
No healthcare.
No social security.

Why should citizens feel proud to pay tax?

Where’s the value for the citizen?

[Ramen 🍉 @CoconutShawarma]

some psycho is bursting crackers outside 😭😭

[Gurjot Ahluwalia @gurjota]

"I have no intention of selling 1 share of Berkshire Hathaway"

I got goosebumps watching the standing ovation from 20,000 people after that

A tribute to the honesty, integrity, discipline, patience and wisdom of a true legend