Young pros should come in kurtas to offices: Ola’s Bhavish Aggarwal

Ola founder and CEO, Bhavish Aggarwal, told ANI’s Smita Prakash in an interview released on July 8, that all Indians should embrace wearing kurtas against Western attires.

“We can be more comfortable in our skin in a kurta, quite literally. Our skin is our clothing, a kind of fashion sense that is uniquely Indian. In my view, the kurta is a very elegant dress. I believe all Indians, especially the younger tech professionals, should embrace wearing kurtas,” Aggarwal told ANI’s Prakash.

Clearly, Aggarwal was pushing for the India-first corporate culture, however, he also emphasised the comfort and elegance of the kurta.

Aggarwal also talked about Western tech dominance and advocated for greater autonomy and data sovereignty in AI. 

However, his discussion also ventured into cultural realms, where he passionately endorsed the traditional kurta as a wardrobe staple for young job-doers or tech professionals.

The podcast, which was shared on July 8, quickly gained traction. The comments section was flooded with positive responses, with many agreeing with Aggarwal’s sentiments.

One user wrote, "It's time to make the kurta cool again. Jab dil se Indian, toh poshak kyun western? I hope like me, more young minds embrace the Indian attire and the importance of owning our own data. @bhash Tech-Colonialism nahi chalega,"

Another user commented, "If hoodie can be cool, so can Kurta! Enough of only journalists and politicians wearing one. #MakeKurtaCoolAgain"

A third user replied, “It is, was and will be cool,” 

A fourth wrote, “15 days ago, I bought two kurtas for my College with the same thought.”

Fashion In Tech Space:

Aggarwal also laid his 2 cents out on the trend of iconic fashion statements in the tech industry, citing Steve Jobs' turtleneck and Jensen Huang's leather jacket. 

He said Indian entrepreneurs must draw inspiration from their cultural heritage, such as wearing kurtas, which are cool and stylish for the summer.