Educator Khan Sir Questions Indian Billionaires' Fortunes; Says 'Got Rich Doing Nothing, Acquiring State Assets And Copying'
Noida, Uttar Pradesh: Popular Indian educator and YouTuber Patna Khan Sir on Thursday questioned how Indian billionaires built fortunes, arguing that the Indian tycoons amassed wealth by acquiring state assets and copying foreign models, rather than creating breakthroughs.
During a session on BRICS economies at his Khan Global Studies Institute, the educator, who is known for making complex subjects accessible in simple, humorous ways, said the Indian industrialists became rich by taking control of railways, airports and other infrastructures. “If they had grown rich by creating something, US wouldn’t be able to look down on us today,” the educator said.
Some uncomfortable facts. Our risk averse private sector had been plagued by chronic underinvestment in R&D, driven on short-term profits. And then bureaucratic hurdles added to the systemic issues. pic.twitter.com/9nPiPv4tO3
— Smita Prakash (@smitaprakash) January 15, 2026
The comment quickly sparked debate online, with supporters highlighting India’s low Research and Development (R&D) spending at 0.65% of GDP.
The critics, meanwhile, praised figures like Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani for powering growth through ports, airports, and Jio’s data revolution that added 450 million users.
Read Also: Protests Over Adani’s Airport Takeover in Kenya May Fuel Anti-India Sentiment: Jairam Ramesh
