"India is backwards." That's the kind of sweeping statement that Amsterdam-based content creator Ivana says she finds hard to take seriously, especially when her own experience in the country tells her a very different story. In a video shared on social media, Ivana responded to the stereotype by pointing to something as simple as getting flowers delivered to her doorstep. She said she had ordered a bunch of flowers through a last-mile delivery app and received them within just 10 minutes.
Her reaction quickly turned into a playful but pointed response to people who continue to view India through outdated stereotypes.
'What do you mean India is backwards?'
Speaking directly to the camera, Ivana began by addressing people who dislike India and warned them that her video might give them "more fuel for hatred". She then showed the flowers she had received and questioned the idea that India should be labelled "backwards". "What do you mean 'India is backwards' and I just ordered a last-mile delivery app to deliver me flowers, flowers!" she said. She went on to point out that similar services exist in the Netherlands, but said that in India, quick delivery services are available across many major cities and several tier-two cities as well.
'I just got flowers delivered within 10 minutes'
The thing that appeared to genuinely surprise Ivana was the speed of the delivery. "I just got flowers delivered within 10 minutes!" she exclaimed, reacting to the freshly delivered bouquet. For her, the experience became an example of how everyday technology and convenience in India can challenge assumptions about the country.
Her argument was not that India is without problems. In fact, she explicitly acknowledged that the country "definitely has its problems". Her point was that reducing an entire country to a single stereotype ignores the ways in which it has progressed in areas such as technology and consumer services.
'It's a tunnel vision to confirm stereotypes'
Ivana went beyond the flower delivery itself, suggesting that blanket statements about India can come from a limited view of the country. She described the idea that "India is backwards" as "tunnel vision to confirm stereotypes", arguing that looking down upon India can make some people feel better about themselves.
The video was delivered with plenty of humour and exaggerated reactions, but her underlying message was straightforward: a country can have its problems while also being advanced in particular areas.
'Follow for more India fangirling'
Ivana ended the video on a lighter note, celebrating the experience and jokingly inviting viewers to follow her for more "India fangirling". Dressed in a cream-and-gold saree with matching earrings and a maang tikka, she used the everyday experience of receiving flowers within minutes to make a larger point about how India is perceived from the outside.
Rather than trying to argue that everything in India is perfect, her response focused on challenging the idea that one broad label can capture a country as diverse and rapidly changing as India.
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