Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal has delivered a powerful and emotional message to young startup founders. Through a heartfelt post on X (formerly Twitter), he shared the reality of how lonely and challenging the founder’s journey can be. His words resonated deeply across India’s startup ecosystem.
Startup Path Gets Lonely
In his message, Agarwal began with a truth not often spoken: “Dear young founders, here’s something no one warns you about… The journey you’ve chosen? It gets lonely.” He compared the early phase of building a business to living inside a pressure cooker, where every decision carries weight and uncertainty.
Dear young founders, here’s something no one warns you about… The journey you’ve chosen? It gets lonely…Safar bhale hi akela ho, raasta apna hona chahiye…
Anil Agarwal, Vedanta Chairman
Using a strong visual metaphor, Agarwal added, “Mount Everest ki chadhai pe bheed nahi hoti… the higher you climb, the fewer people you see.” This line reflected how success often becomes more isolating the closer one gets to it, as only a few can relate to the path being taken.
People May Not Understand
He explained that even though people may be around you, they might not fully understand what you’re going through. Not because they don’t care, but because “they’ve never had to believe in something invisible”, like a vision, dream, or long-term idea that hasn’t come true yet.
Agarwal opened up about his own past. He shared a personal moment from his early days in London, when he would find warmth and comfort in his mother’s shawl during cold nights. “So, if you’re in that phase – keep going. And on the loneliest nights, find something that reminds you of home,” he advised.
Create Your Own Path
Ending on an inspiring note, Agarwal wrote, “Safar bhale hi akela ho, raasta apna hona chahiye…” which means, “Even if the journey is lonely, it should be your own path.” His message encouraged young entrepreneurs to stay strong, stay rooted, and continue pushing forward, even when it gets tough.
Anil Agarwal’s words offered more than motivation. They acknowledged the emotional truth of entrepreneurship, a path filled with silence, belief, and strength. For India’s emerging founders, this message served as both comfort and call-to-action.
