https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

“Nanis & Dadis Have a Brain”: Former IAS Officer Shailaja Chandra Weighs in on 1970s vs 2025 Life Debate – “This Generation Has It Better”

Responding to Viral Post on Middle-Class Struggles, Ex-Bureaucrat Offers Candid Reflection on Then and Now. “Don’t Underestimate the Present.”
Indian Masterminds Stories

New Delhi: 80-year-old retired IAS officer Shailaja Chandra has stepped into a growing social media debate comparing the simplicity of life in the 1970s to the high-paced, digitally driven lifestyle of 2025.

1966 batch IAS officer Chandra thoughtful response challenges nostalgia-driven assumptions and highlights the vast improvements in quality of life, convenience, and personal freedom that today’s middle class enjoys.

A Post That Sparked a National Conversation
The conversation began when businessman Himanshu Kalra posted a viral piece on LinkedIn lamenting the mental and financial pressures of modern life. “In 1970, you’re set for life,” he wrote. “In 2025, you start with debt, get outdated in two years, keep upskilling… and both partners work just to afford to raise a single child.”

Read Also: Shailaja Chandra’s 2.5-Year Fight to Hold Polluters Accountable on the Yamuna

Kalra’s post resonated widely, especially among urban professionals who feel overwhelmed by inflation, fast-changing job demands, and the competitive pressures of modern parenting. But Chandra, with her decades of personal and professional experience, offered a more nuanced perspective.

“The 1970s Were Linear but Very Limiting”
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Chandra shared insights from her own life in the 1970s. “The 1970s were linear but very limiting,” she wrote. “The middle class was stretched between living as joint families or confronting the pressure of making ends meet. One was constantly watching the expenses.”

She detailed how travel, vacations, and dining out were luxuries few could afford. Owning property or travelling abroad was out of reach for most, and the constraints of single-income households often meant living with extended families in modest settings.

“In 2025, Life Offers Comfort, Choice and Freedom”
In contrast, Chandra celebrated the freedoms that today’s middle class enjoys. She noted that dual-income households, access to global travel, and the rise of digital convenience have dramatically improved day-to-day life.

“Today, the middle class either owns or rents nicely located property. Eating out, paying children’s school fees, and enrolling them in extracurriculars is affordable for many,” she pointed out.

She also emphasized how technology has removed the drudgery of daily tasks, citing online shopping, digital bill payments, and ease of mobility. Fitness, wellness, and career development have become accessible due to urban infrastructure and widespread upskilling opportunities.

A Gentle Reminder to the Young
Ending her post with warmth and authority, Chandra addressed the younger generation directly:
“Please think before you start arguing with me. Nanis and Dadis do have eyes, ears and a brain!”

Her comment was widely praised for its balance – acknowledging the real pressures of 2025 while also urging appreciation for the vast progress made over the decades.

Reactions: A Mixed Bag
Kalra’s original post and Chandra’s response together triggered an intergenerational dialogue. Some readers continued to argue that today’s youth face unprecedented mental stress, rising costs of living, and unstable job markets. Others echoed Chandra’s optimism, emphasizing broader opportunities, personal autonomy, and technological empowerment as major upsides of modern life.

As the debate continues, Chandra’s voice has added a much-needed layer of depth, rooted in experience, to a conversation that touches nearly every Indian household.

Read Also: How Shailaja Chandra Turned Her Brother’s Challenge into UPSC Success


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Assam-forest
Assam IFS Officer MK Yadava Faces Fresh Allegations Over Unauthorized Construction in Reserve Forests
Rahul Bhanudas Mali IAS
IAS Officer Rahul Bhanudas Mali Appointed Deputy Secretary in Women & Child Devt Ministry - Details Inside
jharkhand-high-court-
ED Tightens Grip in Army Land Scam; IAS Chhavi Ranjan's Bail Denied by High Court
BHajan Lal Sharma
Rajasthan: CM Cracks Down on 37 Govt Officers, 9 Police Inspectors Compulsorily Retired, IAS Officer Booked - Details Inside
Women in indian army
Delhi High Court Questions Centre on Exclusion of Women from Permanent Army Roles via CDS - All Details Inside
Vishnu Deo Sai
CM Vishnu Deo Sai Orders Fast-Track Completion of Irrigation Projects to Empower Chhattisgarh Farmers
MMME Mk-II Indian Army induction
Indian Army Inducts BEML-DRDO’s Indigenously Developed Semi-Automatic Minefield Marker, MMME Mk-II - Details Inside
NSIC NEHHDC MoU North-East
NSIC & NEHHDC Join Hands to Empower North-East Youth Through Skill-Based Training - Details Inside
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Aditya Singh
How IAS Officer Aditya Singh is Redefining Governance in Madhya Pradesh | Video Interview 
IAS Karn Satyarthi
How IAS Karn Satyarthi Transformed Gumla Through Empathy and Innovation
Ananth Rupanagudi IRAS
IRAS Ananth Rupanagudi’s Take on Corruption, Reform, and Duty
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
BPSC Bihar police
From Lantern Light to Police Uniform: How Praveen Kumar from a Small Bihar Village Cracked BPSC to Become SDPO
From a lantern-lit village in Bihar to becoming an SDPO, Praveen Kumar's journey is a testament to resilience,...
IAS Priyansha Garg
Why Mindset Matters: IAS Priyansha Garg’s Mental Health Mantra for UPSC
After two failed prelims, Priyansha Garg cracked UPSC with AIR 31 in her fourth attempt, proving how...
Ashish Akshat
From Setback to State Topper: How Ashish Akshat Topped JPSC While Working Full-Time
Ashish Akshat from Dhanbad topped JPSC 2023, proving that resilience, discipline, and family support...
Social Media
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve: From India’s First Sanctuary to a Tiger Conservation Success Story | International Tiger Day Special
IAS Supriya Sahu Hails Mudumalai's Role in Tiger Conservation on Tiger Day. Declared in 1940, Now Among...
Mangroves
Mangroves: Nature’s Shield Against Disasters, Says Officer Parveen Kaswan on Mangroves Day - Watch His Post Here
Mangroves, with their dense, interlaced root systems, form a mesh-like structure that serves as a buffer...
Retired IPS Inderjit Singh Sidhu
Purpose Doesn’t Retire: How 88-Year-Old Retired DIG Becomes Chandigarh’s ‘Quiet Warrior’ of Cleanliness
Inderjit Singh Sidhu’s Dawn Patrol Earns Applause, Mahindra’s Praise for a Man Who Chose Action Over...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Assam-forest
Assam IFS Officer MK Yadava Faces Fresh Allegations Over Unauthorized Construction in Reserve Forests
Rahul Bhanudas Mali IAS
IAS Officer Rahul Bhanudas Mali Appointed Deputy Secretary in Women & Child Devt Ministry - Details Inside
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Aditya Singh
IAS Karn Satyarthi
Ananth Rupanagudi IRAS
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT