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‘Ma-baap se 2 saal se nahi mila’: Bihar man shares reality of building startup in US

The Indian man’s video about the struggles of trying to build a company in the US has prompted varied responses from social media users.

Updated on: Aug 5, 2026, 17:20:44 IST
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A viral video posted by a US-based Indian tech founder has sparked a wider conversation on the gruelling reality behind startup hustle culture. Detailing his personal struggles online, the entrepreneur revealed that building his company has meant spending endless hours isolated in a tiny room, leaving him unable to visit his parents for over two years. Admitting to having gained over 20 kilograms and to a heavy reliance on soda while building his platform, he struck a deep chord on social media, drawing widespread empathy from fellow founders who resonated with the extreme mental and physical toll of chasing business success.

The Bihar man who started a company in San Francisco. (Instagram/@the_architect_sirius)
The Bihar man who started a company in San Francisco. (Instagram/@the_architect_sirius)

“Only $1M investment can save my soul,” Utkarsh Nanda wrote while sharing a video sharing his struggles.

Also Read: 'You rebuild your entire life from scratch': Indian founder in US reflects on her 8-year immigrant journey

In the video, Nanda shared that his life involves sitting in a small room for hours at a time, working. He expressed how he has not visited his parents for over two years.

As the video proceeds, he shows empty bottles of Diet Coca-Cola and adds that, over the months, he has gained over 20 kg.

(Hindustantimes.com has reached out to Utkarsh Nanda. This report will be updated when he responds.)

How did social media react?

An individual asked, “What are you building?” Nanda responded, “trymindhub.com. Currently, we help organize people’s AI queries significantly better on a canvas, and automatically building an ever growing knowledge base. Next we are making a social network on top of people’s AI queries, imagine ChatGPT x LinkedIn.”

Also Read: Chennai founder recalls quitting 1 crore US job to start from scratch in India: ‘It wasn't a random move'

Another posted, “Why is this so relatable?” A third expressed, “Bhaiya itna sach nhi bolna tha.” A fourth wrote, “But a million-dollar startup to lead kar rahe ho na.” Nanda replied, “Yes, broski, we’ll be dropping big bombs soon.”

  • Trisha Sengupta
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Trisha Sengupta

    Trisha Sengupta is a Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of digital newsroom experience. Specialising in high-engagement storytelling, she blends viral trends with traditional journalism to cover the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. Her reporting spans real estate and personal finance struggles in hubs like Bengaluru and Gurgaon, the NRI experience, and corporate shifts like tech layoffs. Trisha also frequently tracks global figures and writes human interest stories. Offline, Trisha is an avid reader, history enthusiast and solo traveler. She balances her journalism career with family life while actively integrating AI tools into her modern storytelling approach.Read More

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