'Indians please be ready to work until 75...': A CHRO’s blunt take on stock markets and financial survival

“It’s going to be impossible to sustain on one job and one salary.” A CHRO's blunt warning on LinkedIn has sparked debate on financial security, jobs, and investments.

Seema Raghunath, in her post, argues that retirement is an illusion, with the global economy making it unsustainable. “The only way to retire is to leave urban India and move into the hills to be incognito,” she wrote. 

“If you insist on city life, be ready to work even with arthritis.” She warned that one salary will no longer be enough and that the future will demand multiple income sources.

Raghunath dismissed day trading as racehorse betting, stating that all risky investment plans will prove to be just that—risky. “What allows safe saving is so meager that you might as well go to trade school and learn carpentry, plumbing, or masonry,” she wrote, arguing that these jobs may provide more stability than stock investments.

She also predicted the collapse of dual employment laws, making it harder for professionals to rely on a single salary. “It’s going to be impossible to sustain on one job and one income,” she warned, urging people to develop alternative skills. 

She listed organic farming, poultry, baking, teaching, pearl culture, crab and prawn farming, and seed culturing as safe options to explore over the next two years.

While Raghunath warns individuals, foreign investors (FIIs) are already pulling out, deepening concerns over market stability.₹34,574 crore exited Indian equities in February, bringing the total FII outflow in 2025 to ₹1.12 lakh crore in just two months.

The Sensex has dropped over 6% year-to-date, reflecting the market’s reaction to FII sell-offs. Vipul Bhowar, Senior Director at Waterfield Advisors, cited high valuations and weak corporate earnings as major reasons for the exit. The outflows are part of a broader global trend, as rising US bond yields, a strengthening dollar, and economic uncertainty drive investors toward safer US assets.

Raghunath’s strongest message focused on AI-driven job disruptions, warning that by 2027, artificial intelligence will transform industries beyond recognition. “We are entering a new YUG, and most are not even aware, let alone prepared,” she wrote, stressing that individuals must start building alternative income sources now before AI replaces existing jobs.