What is the difference between people in Bengaluru and in Goa? According to Ankit Vengurlekar, the contrast is significant. As the founder of Antar Wellness prepares to move from Bangalore to Goa, he says the polarity is very clear to him.
In his LinkedIn post, Vengurlekar gives an example from a morning hike to Kaivarabetta. At the top, while enjoying the cool breeze and scenic views, he overheard a conversation between two software engineers.
They just met someone from HR and soon started discussing jobs, salaries and career opportunities. According to Ankit, this is common in Bangalore.
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People often start a conversation by asking, “What do you do?” He feels that many people there are too focused on work, regardless of the environment.
“I call it the ‘Bangalore virus’. Once infected, a person develops a unique and toxic inability to turn off work talk regardless of the setting,” says the entrepreneur who runs a digital wellness company.
According to him, this constant work talk takes place everywhere, from sports fields to social gatherings. He believes that many people have reduced their identity to a mere profession.
“People can be at a funeral or a birthday party; unfortunately Bangaloreans are obsessed with work talk. I find it extremely sad that human beings have been reduced to just ‘workers’,” he adds.
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In contrast, while looking for a house in Goa, he spent time with business owners and founders. Within days, he said, not once did the conversations revolve around work.
According to Vengurlekar, these people are successful, but they don’t let work dominate their lives. This does not mean that they are “failed” in their professional life.
“It doesn’t mean they are unproductive or unsuccessful; if anything, by any conventional metric they are extremely successful. That’s why I’m moving to Goa,” says Vengurlekar.
Ankit Vengurlekar says work is only a small part of life. But in Bengaluru, it often becomes more important than anything else.
According to him, the work culture there affects friendships, relationships, marriages, health and family life. He believes this work-obsessed lifestyle comes at a very high personal cost.
“Everyone goes through their own stages in life to realize that this one-dimensional, work-obsessed way of life is a terribly unhealthy and deeply unsatisfying way to live,” adds Ankit.
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It took him nearly 20 years of full-time work to realize that such a one-dimensional career focus was unhealthy and unsatisfying, he says.
According to him, many people only understand this after they go through different stages of life. He also praises Gen Z for being more aware.
“I deeply admire Gen Z because they are self-aware. I realize the toll this obsessive hustle culture takes out of them. I admire them for having the courage to set boundaries and be clear about what they want in life,” concludes Ankit Vengurlekar, asking if anyone else is affected by this “Bangalore Virus.”
Reaction on social networks
LinkedIn responded.
“Cities amplify what they reward. Bangalore rewards ambition. Goa rewards presence. The real win is choosing the rhythm you want your life to follow,” replied the entrepreneur.
“I’ve noticed that too. Places shape identity. When an ecosystem only rewards output, people start measuring themselves against it,” another entrepreneur replied.
One user noted, “Success is very different when life’s conversations go beyond titles, salaries, and career milestones.”
“I know! It leads to loneliness, burnout and mental dissociation from real life. It’s only when disaster strikes that they realize, ‘What are we doing!'” chimed in another.
