Former Xiaomi India Chief Flees Delhi Due to Dangerous Air Pollution: Health Impact and Public Response

Former Xiaomi India chief Manu Kumar Jain recently shared his distressing experience with Delhi's severe air pollution crisis during a brief visit to the capital.

Delhi's deteriorating air quality continues to affect both residents and visitors alike, causing widespread health issues including headaches, persistent coughing, and throat irritation. Jain, who now serves as CEO of tech group G42, documented his experience by posting an in-flight photograph of himself wearing a protective mask.

Jain expressed on X (formerly Twitter): "Was in Delhi for a day for some important meetings, and realised how out of practice I am with the air pollution here. Within a few hours my eyes were watering, throat was burning, I kept coughing and even had a mild headache. I forgot my N95 mask, which made the impact even more severe."

The experience was particularly poignant for Jain, who has deep connections to the region, having grown up in nearby Meerut and completed his education at IIT Delhi. He shared his affection for the city, noting his fondness for "its energy, food and people."

Ultimately, the poor air quality forced Jain to change his travel plans. "I was forced to take an earlier flight back. Experiences like this are a reminder that we still have a long way to go on air quality," he stated, while emphasizing he wasn't targeting any specific entity for blame.

"All of us are to be blamed for this. But I sincerely hope we can turn this around and make a real change for our kids - so that they can grow up breathing cleaner air," Jain added.

His post quickly gained traction online, generating hundreds of comments from social media users who shared similar experiences and concerns about Delhi's pollution crisis.

One commenter noted the more severe implications for vulnerable populations: "If a healthy adult can't last a few hours, imagine what this does to a child who breathes Delhi's air every single day."

Another user shared a comparable experience: "This was exactly my experience last weekend. It is bad in Delhi."

Some commenters expressed more extreme concerns about the situation, with one writing: "I came back to India from Australia and this morning I went for walk outside and within 20 minutes i was back in my car because my throat was hurting. Love of my family brought me here, but I think it's time to rethink and take my loved ones outside India with me."

The city is currently under GRAP-3 restrictions, which include various pollution-control measures such as bans on construction activities and regular water spraying on major roads.

In response to the dangerous air quality conditions, Delhi schools have implemented hybrid learning modes for primary classes as a precautionary measure to protect younger students.