'The Bengaluru virus': Founder says city reduced people to ‘workers’, praises Goa’s slower rhythm

Founder slams Bengaluru’s work-first culture, opts for slower life in Goa.

A LinkedIn post by a founder describing what he calls the “Bengaluru virus” has sparked a fresh debate online, sparking a wider conversation on work obsession and quality of life in India’s tech capital.

The post, written by founder Ankit Vengurlekar, reflects on the stark contrast he experienced while preparing to move from Bengaluru to Goa. Recounting a recent morning hike to Kaivarabetta with a trekking group, Vengurlekar said even a misty summit with sweeping views could not escape Bengaluru’s fixation with work.

“At the peak, instead of soaking in the breeze and the foggy hills, I overheard two software engineers asking the most dreaded question: ‘What do you do?’” he wrote. According to him, the conversation quickly shifted to salaries and job opportunities, a pattern he believes defines the city’s social life. “On pickleball courts, morning runs, dates or dinners. Bangaloreans are obsessed with this question,” he said.

Vengurlekar described this behaviour as a “virus,” a toxic inability to switch off work talk regardless of the setting. “People could be at a funeral or a birthday party, and still talk about work,” he wrote, calling it deeply sad that individuals reduce themselves to being “just workers”, often at the cost of relationships, health and overall well-being.

'Goa is different from Bengaluru,' he says. 

In contrast, he said his recent time house-hunting in Goa offered a completely different rhythm. Despite spending days with business owners and founders, not once did conversations drift towards work. “That doesn’t mean they are unsuccessful,” he noted, adding that many were thriving by every conventional measure. “Work is just work. A small part of an otherwise wholesome life. That’s why I’m moving to Goa.”

The post also praised Gen Z for recognising the emotional and personal costs of hustle culture. Vengurlekar admitted it took him nearly two decades of full-time work to arrive at this realisation, while younger professionals appear more willing to set boundaries early.

The reflections triggered strong engagement online. One user summed it up with a comment, “Cities amplify what they reward. Bangalore rewards ambition, Goa rewards presence. The real win is choosing which rhythm you want your life to follow.”