Middle class wake-up call: ₹1 crore could shrink to ₹5 lakh in 50 years, warns wealth advisor

What if ₹1 crore — a figure long seen as the benchmark of financial comfort in India — could lose over 94% of its value within your lifetime, even if untouched? That’s the quiet devastation inflation can cause, and it’s hitting the middle class harder than ever.

Wealth advisor Jayesh Thakkar recently a wave of reflection on X with a single post: “Inflation at 6% erodes ₹1 crore to ₹5.42 lakh in 50 years.” 

His attached table lays out the uncomfortable math — at a steady 6% inflation rate, ₹1 crore loses 44% of its value in 10 years, dropping to ₹55.84 lakh. In 20 years, it falls to ₹31.15 lakh. By year 50, it dwindles to a shockingly low ₹5.42 lakh in today’s terms.

The message is simple but sobering: if your money isn’t growing faster than inflation, it’s shrinking. And for India’s salaried middle class — many of whom rely heavily on savings accounts, fixed deposits, or cash holdings — this is a ticking time bomb.

Thakkar didn’t offer solutions — but the implications of his post are loud and clear. Experts Business Today spoke to say inflation is not a short-term threat — it’s a long-term certainty, and one that demands proactive wealth planning.

Their recommendation? Diversification. Relying on a single savings instrument is no longer enough. Equities, gold, real estate, and inflation-linked bonds offer varying degrees of protection. Short-term and high-yield bonds can also play a role in preserving value during inflationary spikes.

More importantly, they advise reviewing and rebalancing your portfolio regularly, factoring in inflation-adjusted returns rather than just nominal gains.