A Wake-Up Call We Can’t Ignore

In “Why Indians Have ZERO Civic Sense,” Nithin Kamath, founder of Zerodha, delivers a brutally honest reality check. Through real-life incidents, social psychology, and candid commentary, he exposes something we all feel but rarely say aloud: our public spaces are a mess—and it’s largely our own doing.

At Aarambh, we’ve seen this firsthand. Streets littered with plastic, footpaths turned into parking spots, and buses or trains left vandalized—these aren’t isolated incidents. They’re signs of a deeper issue: a collective failure to care.

Why Do We Lack Civic Sense?

The video explores several reasons:

• “Not my problem” mindset: We treat public spaces as someone else’s responsibility.
• Lack of early education: Unlike countries like Japan or Germany, we don’t teach children to clean up after themselves—or take pride in their surroundings.
• The “Kya farak padta hai?” (What difference does it make?) attitude: Small acts of negligence are shrugged off, until they snowball into systemic decay.

Psychology Behind the Problem

Kamath introduces key behavioral theories:

• Tragedy of the Commons: When everyone uses a shared resource (like a road or park), no one feels ownership—so no one takes care of it.
• Broken Window Theory: If people see one broken window or litter, they assume “no one cares,” and soon, everyone contributes to the mess.

At Aarambh, we believe this cycle can be broken—but only if we take the first step.

What Can YOU Do?

Final Thoughts

Civic sense isn’t something that should be enforced—it should be lived. As Kamath says, the solution isn’t just about laws or infrastructure. It’s about leadership by example. And the best part? You don’t need a title or uniform to lead. You just need to care.

🌱 “We often blame… But the change starts with us.”
— Nithin Kamath

Want to learn more?
Watch the full video that inspired this discussion:

https://youtu.be/bq0HeSP_U68?si=xIcp2ThEWbjFKe5r