PhonePe CEO Apologizes for Criticizing Karnataka’s Reservation Bill

Sameer Nigam, Founder and CEO of PhonePe, issued an apology on Sunday following a controversial post on X (formerly Twitter) criticizing Karnataka’s recent local jobs reservation bill. Nigam stated that he never intended to offend Karnataka or its people and offered an unconditional apology for any hurt his comments might have caused.

In his statement, Nigam emphasized his respect for Karnataka and its residents, as well as his appreciation for Kannada and other Indian languages. He highlighted the significance of linguistic diversity and cultural heritage as valuable national assets.

The apology came in response to Karnataka’s bill that mandates 100% reservation for Kannadigas in private sector Group C and D positions, with local candidates required for management (50%) and non-management (70%) roles, along with Kannada proficiency for those without a secondary school certificate.

Nigam, addressing the competitive nature of Bengaluru’s startup scene, remarked that these companies are competing against major global players like Google, Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft. He stressed the importance of focusing on talent based on technical skills and expertise in areas such as coding, design, product management, data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to build world-class companies. He reiterated the need to prioritize merit over reservations.

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