A post by Shreya Pattar, CEO and Founder of Shreya Pattar Ventures, attracted debate reflecting the diverse opinions on the impact of cultural communities on the international education experience
A social media post by Shreya Pattar, the CEO and Founder of Shreya Pattar Ventures, has ignited a heated debate online. Pattar advised Indian students considering higher education abroad to avoid universities with significant numbers of Indian students. She shared her perspective on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Any Indian student planning to move abroad for higher education should check how many Indian students that university has. The more the number of Indian students, the lower that university should be on your list of places to join.”
Explaining her reasoning, Pattar argued that the presence of large Indian communities abroad often brings “toxic Indian patterns,” which she described as “too much drama, lack of professionalism, no good role models, no leadership or responsibility towards juniors, self-centred behaviour, ‘group-ism’, backbiting, and no seriousness towards the future.”
She emphasized that students planning to study abroad should also aim to distance themselves from these negative behaviors, suggesting, “If you plan to move out of the country, make sure you are also staying away from that mindset, attitude, and nature of people. You shouldn’t need such people around you to ‘feel at home’. And if you DO, then might as well just not move abroad.”
Pattar’s post has garnered over eight lakh views and elicited a wide range of reactions. Some users agreed with her viewpoint, supporting the idea of seeking diverse cultural experiences and avoiding the comfort zone of familiar communities. “Totally with you on this. The goal of studying abroad is to widen your horizons by interacting with diverse cultures and mindsets. Sticking to your comfort zone within a familiar community is counterproductive to that goal. It’s about growing both personally and professionally,” commented one user.
One user responded, “With due respect this comes from your lack of exposure to other cultures, choice of your company, environment and upbringing, and myopic mindset. To get into a Canadian or American university means grinding work that leaves no time for what you’re talking about. Your success will depend on your own individual efforts and not the ethnicity or background of other people enrolled in that school.”
Another shared a personal experience, saying, “I can not agree more with you. In 2011 I went to Australia to work in a hospital and there the most toxic people and most envious towards Indians were Indians only. It was a shock for me once I reached there and till the time I left Australia I could not come to terms with it.”
However, not everyone concurred with Pattar’s views. Some users argued that her perspective was overly negative and did not reflect the broader experiences of Indian students abroad.
Another user pointed out the value of community support, stating, “I respectfully disagree. Having a community of Indian students can provide a sense of familiarity and support, especially in a new country. It’s about finding the right balance between comfort and exposure to diverse perspectives.”
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