IIM graduate is often mistaken as a gym trainer, bouncer. Netizen asks if it happens in front of his wife

Arindam Paul, a graduate of NIT Surat and IIM Indore, has experienced firsthand how appearances lead to assumptions in India. Despite his professional achievements, people often stereotype him based on his looks. From being mistaken for a gym trainer in his residential society to being asked about stag entry rules outside a pub, these incidents have become a recurring theme in his life, he said in a post.

Even while shopping at Decathlon, a customer assumed he was a store employee, and at a theatre, an elderly man mistook him for crew staff. One of the most telling experiences happens at railway stations, where so-called "random" baggage checks always seem to single him out.




Arindam is the chief business officer and a founding team member at Atomberg, he has played a key role in transforming it into one of India's fastest-growing digital-first consumer brands. He is also a fitness enthusiast. Over the past eight years, he has led customer-facing functions—sales, marketing, and service—scaling the company to a Rs 1,000 crore annual run rate, he says in his LinkedIn profile.

Before joining Atomberg, Arindam worked as a management consultant for 18 months. His academic background is equally impressive—he ranked in the top 10% at NIT Surat and top 5% at IIM Indore.

What netizens said

Netizens had mixed reactions to Arindam Paul’s experiences of being stereotyped. Some pointed out that his outfit and physique might contribute to these assumptions. One user curiously asked if such incidents had ever occurred in front of his wife, wondering how she would react. Arindam humorously responded that it hadn’t happened when he was with her.

Another user jokingly advised him to try wearing white instead of black to see if it made a difference. In response, Arindam revealed that black dominates his wardrobe, with over 20 black T-shirts making up more than 60% of his clothing collection.