We’ve achieved impressive economic growth, spawned startups, and won Olympic medals. Yet, our indigenous innovation remains inconsistent, relegated to an elite minority rather than a societal norm. The reason lies in our inability to tolerate uncertainty and failure.
A Legacy of Extraction
Centuries of colonial rule taught us that systems are designed to extract value, not protect lives. This mindset has persisted through India’s post-independence institutions, often perpetuating opaque bureaucracy, erratic courts, and ad-hoc enforcement. As a result, we’ve developed a collective distrust: why should I entrust my future to a system that has historically exploited me?
Freedom to Flourish
We’ve secured “freedom from” foreign rule, famine, and mass illiteracy. However, millions of Indians still lack the “freedom to” experiment, to fail without catastrophic consequences. This denial stifles boldness at birth, as we prioritize survival over originality.
The Consequences of Fragility
When a single failure can annihilate you, you become vulnerable rather than resilient. Most Indian risk-takers are constrained by the fear of disaster, optimizing for stability rather than innovation. Their ambition is genuine, but their permission to act remains narrowly calibrated to avoid catastrophe.
Micro-Trust in the Family
Change begins at home. Middle-class families, once guardians of conformity, can become incubators of creativity and resilience. If your household can absorb setbacks and unconventional choices, you provide the insulation that the state has yet to offer. Normalize failure as a natural part of growth, rather than stigmatizing it.
Transforming Institutions
True safety nets aren’t bailouts; they’re principled systems built on transparent laws, rapid courts, and predictable enforcement. The rule of law should protect citizens, not entangle them. By dismantling the fear of arbitrary power, we can unleash more creativity than any fiscal stimulus.
Beyond GDP to a Culture of Innovation
GDP measures output, but not daring. A society where failure carries no lasting stigma creates innovators by the million, not just millionaires by the few. Until we ensure that a bold idea cannot destroy a family, India will continue to optimize what’s known rather than explore what’s possible.
Giving Permission to Innovate
India doesn’t lack talent; it lacks permission. Let us build a world where falling is survivable, where systems and families alike say: “Try again.” That’s how empires of innovation are born – and how ours can become one too.
Yash Tambawala 