The New Middle-Class Anxiety: One Layoff Away from Collapse
Mumbai: For years, India’s urban middle class believed it had secured stability. Salaries from leading tech companies were reliable, apartment EMIs were manageable, and career growth was almost guaranteed. Cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, and Gurugram became symbols of aspirational India, where young professionals bought homes early and planned their lives around rising incomes.