'My friend Deepi': Anupam Mittal responds to Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal's ₹20 lakh job ad

Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal set social media abuzz after posting a job advertisement for a Chief of Staff role requiring candidates to donate ₹20 lakh to Feeding India and work without a salary for a year. The bold and unusual requirement sparked immediate backlash online, with many questioning its fairness and intent.

Among those who responded to the controversy was Shaadi.com founder Anupam Mittal, who weighed in with a satirical LinkedIn post. In his jab at Goyal’s job ad, Mittal invited candidates to apply for his own version of the role, calling it “Chief of What?”

“All those who can’t afford to pay my friend Deepi 20 lacs, please send me your application,” Mittal wrote. “I am looking for a Chief of Staff too, although I don’t know exactly what one does. I figure it can be your first assignment.”

In his post, Mittal outlined the “requirements” for the role, such as being ready to “accept compensation,” “send in a resume,” and “carry the title of ChiefOfWhat? for six months.” The tongue-in-cheek response quickly went viral, with users praising Mittal’s humour while some criticised it as distasteful.

One user commented, “This is gonna sting Deepinder so hard.” To this, Mittal replied, “He’s a big boy with a great sense of humor … can handle it.”

Others, however, weren’t amused. One critic wrote, “Apart from being sasta Tony Stark, this is what you come up with? Crazy… and such a bad copy. Distasteful.”

Amid the uproar, Goyal addressed the backlash, stating that the ₹20 lakh donation was “never part of the plan” but was meant to serve as a filter to attract serious applicants. According to Goyal, the ad has already garnered over 18,000 applications.

“This wasn’t just another hiring post,” Goyal explained in a statement on X. “As some people pointed out, the ‘you have to pay us 20 lacs’ was merely a filter, to find people who had the power to appreciate the opportunity of a fast-track career, without getting bogged down by the constraints in front of them.”

Social media users continue to debate the ethics and practicality of such a hiring strategy, with many questioning whether it sets a problematic precedent. The role’s steep financial and unpaid requirements have also raised concerns about inclusivity and accessibility in the hiring process.