'Bangalore was a sleepy town': Gurugram entrepreneur says migrants made Bengaluru, netizens ask “ever heard of Kempegowda?”

A Gurugram-based entrepreneur has found himself at the centre of a heated debate online after calling Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Gurugram “cities built by migrants.” His post, meant to praise India’s urban growth, instead touched a nerve, especially among Bengalureans.

Over the weekend, Rajesh Sawhney, a well-known serial entrepreneur, posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Mumbai, Bangalore and Gurugram, these three Indian cities have been built by migrants and are the most cosmopolitan in nature.”



He praised migrants for transforming quiet towns into hubs of finance, IT, and startups. He called Mumbai the country’s first true business capital, shaped by talent drawn to banks, MNCs and business houses like Tatas and Adanis. Bengaluru, he said, was a peaceful city until the IT boom brought in techies from across southern India. And Gurugram, he wrote, went from “a dusty village” to a buzzing startup zone thanks to BPOs and migrants.

Sawhney even added that natives should celebrate this migrant-driven growth instead of resenting it, blaming politicians for stoking division.

Bengaluru Locals Clap Back

Many from Bengaluru didn’t take kindly to his words. One user wrote, “Bangalore was a sleepy town? Really? Do your research.” Others pointed to the city's long-standing industrial and scientific legacy, HAL, DRDO, BEML, and institutions like IISc and PSUs that were around long before the IT revolution.

Someone even reminded him that Kempegowda, the city's founder, planned Bengaluru more than 500 years ago and that it had electricity before most of Asia.

A more angry comment read: “Humble request to all migrants: go back and build your native places. Bengaluru will become better without you.” This reflected rising frustration over the overcrowding, traffic, and infrastructure stress the city faces today.

While a few agreed with Sawhney’s views and celebrated the cosmopolitan culture of these cities, the majority response showed growing discomfort. People feel that locals and their contributions are being sidelined or forgotten.