An online fight between two billionaires over how India should view its past has stirred a row on social media, with Indian-origin tech entrepreneurs Sabeer Bhatia and Sridhar Vembu clashing after Vembu compared Bhatia’s remarks to asking Jews to “appreciate” the Holocaust.
The row began after Bhatia, the Indian-American co-founder of Hotmail, posted a message urging Indians to acknowledge both the positive and negative parts of the country’s history rather than remain “trapped in endless battles over the past”.
“India should be able to appreciate every chapter of its history without feeling threatened by it. The Mughals left behind magnificent architecture, art, cuisine, language, and culture. The British left institutions, infrastructure, and the English language, which opened doors for millions, including me. I would not have achieved what I have without mastering English,” Bhatia wrote on X.
“A mature civilization acknowledges both the achievements and the mistakes of its past. Yet today, too much energy is spent hating what came before us instead of building on it. We should be grateful to the generations that laid the foundations we inherited, learn from history, and focus our attention on creating a better future,” he added.
He also said: “The future is full of opportunity. Let’s embrace it rather than remain trapped in endless battles over the past.”
Some users agreed that India should take a balanced view of history, while others accused Bhatia of downplaying the suffering caused during foreign invasions and colonial rule.
