“Mass migration is coming.” Infosys founder Narayana Murthy sounded alarm, warning that India’s failure to tackle climate change could push millions from uninhabitable rural areas into already overburdened cities such as Bengaluru, Pune, and Hyderabad.
“What is likely to happen is a mass migration from rural parts of states… into habitable places like Bangalore, maybe Pune, maybe Hyderabad,” Murthy said, speaking at the Sustainability Crusade award ceremony organized by the J P Shroff Foundation.
He pointed to predictions that rising temperatures could render parts of India unlivable within 20-25 years.
Murthy didn’t mince words about the challenges facing these urban hubs. “These cities have become extremely challenging to live in, difficult to navigate, and have witnessed rising pollution levels. They are heading toward becoming unlivable,” he said.
He urged urgent collaboration among politicians, bureaucrats, and corporate leaders to address climate-driven urban pressures. “We have to ensure that there is no mass migration. That is the challenge,” he said.
While raising the alarm, Murthy struck a note of optimism, expressing confidence in India’s ability to achieve its 2030 climate targets, despite what he described as the country’s habit of acting “at the last minute.”
Murthy also made an impassioned appeal to the younger generation, urging them to adopt a sense of responsibility toward society and the environment. “We must care for the underprivileged sections of society, or else we are no better than animals. Merely wrapping oneself in the national flag does not make one a true nationalist,” he said.
The event recognized environmentalist Madhav Gadgil and entrepreneur Alok Kale, with notable attendees such as Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar and industrialist Jamshyd Godrej. Murthy’s warnings and call to action leave no doubt: climate change is not a distant threat but a looming crisis that could reshape India’s future.