'Never my intention to insult Karnataka and it’s people': PhonePe CEO apologises for comments on job reservation for Kannadigas

Bengaluru: Sameer Nigam, CEO and Founder of PhonePe, on Sunday issued a personal statement, offering an unconditional apology if his remarks last week insulted Karnataka and its people.

On July 17, joining the debate on the Karnataka government's draft bill for reservation in private-sector jobs for the local population, Nigam wrote on X: "I am 46 years old. Never lived in a state for 15+ yrs My father worked in the Indian Navy. Got posted all over the country. His kids don't deserve jobs in Karnataka? I build companies. Have created 25000+ jobs across India! My kids dont deserve jobs in their home city? Shame."

The tweet has been viewed by 1.3 million times.

When a user suggested that he learn Kannada, Nigam replied: "Karnataka <> only Kannada speaking people. Get it? I can work wherever I want in India. I can learn any language that I want to. The constitution of India gives me these rights. IT'S MY CHOICE. Get the hue and cry."

The remarks triggered a backlash, with many users running a hashtag to boycott PhonePe.

With the controversy showing no signs of abating, Nigam issued a "personal" statement on X, offering "unconditional" apology and highlighting Bengaluru's role in PhonePe's growth.

"PhonePe was born in Bengaluru and we are incredibly proud of our roots in this city, which is well known for its world-class technology talent and vibrant diversity...

"As a company, we are deeply grateful for the supportive business environment that Karnataka’s governments and its local Kannadiga populace have offered us. Without such an inclusive ecosystem and progressive policies, Bengaluru would not have become a global technology superpower. As a company we also thrive on celebrating diversity, we have always tried hard to deliver fair, unbiased and meritocracy-based employment opportunities for all Indians - including to all local Kannadigas.

Referring to his remarks on the draft bill, he said "it was NEVER my intention to insult Karnataka and it’s people. If my comments hurt anyone’s sentiments in such a way, I am truly sorry and would like to offer you an unconditional apology. I have the highest regard for Kannada, and all other Indian languages.

He said to compete with giants like Google, Apple, Amazon and Microsoft, Bengaluru’s Indian startups "must be able to employ the very best talent available in India purely based on their technology skills and proficiency in fields such as Coding, Design, Product Management, Data Sciences, Machine Learning, AI and beyond."