Startup Co-founder makes it to ‘Forbes 30 Under 30’, chat with his father goes viral

When it comes to Asian children, you can always count on their parents to keep them humble, and no accomplishment is big enough to elicit a gushing response. For example, an Indian man recently made the Forbes list, but his father’s understated response has desi people screaming “relatable.”

Often regarded as difficult to impress and sparse with their words of praise, it may be easier to dazzle strangers with accomplishments than to elicit praise from them. That’s exactly what happened when BlueLearn co-founder Harish Uthayakumar told his father about his proud achievement.

Drop some 👍 in the chat pic.twitter.com/O537xv9DJ0

— Harish Uthayakumar (@curiousharish) May 27, 2022

Uthayakumar shared a screenshot of a conversation in which his father, like every parent, asked if he had eaten. While replying that he hadn’t had the time, he informed his father that he had been named to the prestigious list of ’30 Under 30′. While most would have rejoiced or showered praise, the screenshot showed Uthayakumar’s father only responding with a thumbs up emoji!

The post quickly gained a lot of attention, leaving everyone stunned. People who commented on his post congratulating him on his incredible feat said their fathers were also “a man of few words.” Some speculated that he was too overwhelmed to share his joy. Others contended that, even if their parents do not directly praise them, Uthayakumar’s father has undoubtedly boasted about his son to his friends and peers, proud to be his father.

Time and again, the internet is filled with cute anecdotes about parents who find it difficult to respond appropriately, with many claiming that this is how they keep their children grounded and humble.

Last year, netizens were left laughing after an Indian-origin journalist, Megha Rajagopalan, won the Pulitzer Prize but was met with a subdued reaction.

BlueLearn was founded in August 2020 by Harish Uthayakumar and Shreyans Sancheti as a Telegram community where students could ask experts questions. This has now grown to 42,000 members from 14 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and others. According to its website, the company provides a one-stop platform for students to learn new skills, network with peers, and apply for internships. Currently, the Bengaluru-based company employs 13 people.