Calling yourself "middle class" might be more about comfort than cash, says Dime founder and wealth advisor Chandralekha MR in a LinkedIn post challenging India’s deeply rooted financial self-image.

“Every Indian family says they’re middle class because it feels safer,” Chandralekha wrote. “Not too rich to be judged. Not too poor to be pitied.” Advertisement

But that label, she argues, is outdated—and misleading. “The middle class isn’t a financial position anymore. It’s a psychological comfort zone,” she said, adding that families use it to avoid confronting their real economic standing.

Citing financial data, Chandralekha offered a blunt recalibration:

Below ₹1 crore in family net worth? Lower middle class.

₹1–2 crore? Middle class.

₹2–5 crore? Upper middle.

₹5 crore and above? R

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