r2i forum

I like the swades song, it captures the longing for home beautifully.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tiVPuLbbHg

In case you are the type who enjoys US thoroughly and feel contented, once in a while you feel guilty about your parents in India and / or feel nostalgic. You should spend a few thousand dollars extra every year and visit India multiple times a year. US is a perfectly fine country to live rest of your lives.

In case you are the type who gets up in the morning, feel dull, depressed and wish for India pretty much every day like Shahrukh Khan in Swades, even though you own a big house and multiple cars in US. I would recommend you to move. Life is short, find the courage, Move to India, go for the adventure, you will feel happy, else you will regret rest of your life for not even trying, remember you can always move back to USA if you want as it is a connected flat digital world.

Last week a friend called me and thanked me. Apparently my below views helped her family in making the decision to move back to Delhi from US and she is pretty happy with her move. Based on a few similar requests, I wrote this article to help people who are on the edge and unable to decide. There are several friends who have moved back to India, pretty happy with their move in my circle and will agree with the below article.

Rule 1: Big decisions in life like moving to india or marrying someone or choosing a profession should come from the heart not from the analytical number crunching mind.


I lived in the US for 12 years, it has been 5 years since we moved back to Chennai and we love it. I work in Analytics. Analytics is basically helping large Fortune 500 corporations make decisions (million dollar investments) using technology, data and numbers. But when it comes to making big personal decisions, like moving to India. I recommend you make the decision with your heart and not with numbers. You are moving to less money and less comfort, so the move to india decision was made by my wife and i from the heart and not by the mind. Yes, we are middle class Indians now like our parents, but some how we are pretty contented with our lifestyle.

Rule 2: Life is tough wherever you live, so please move for yourself not for anyone else.

Life is tough wherever you live. Move for yourself. Please don't move for your parents or your kids else you will blame them for the difficulties you will face in life after your move. Please ensure your spouse is 100% aligned with you. Don't expect everyone else in your family and friends to be aligned. You will have health issues in the first few years, but your body will remember and get used to the Indian conditions. US is a good country with great values, but try not to compare US and India and be ready to unlearn a few habits.

Rule 3: Personal life is good, Work life is good, Infrastructure is bad

Getting a job for someone 30+ is pretty difficult in India, Earlier the move the better. This will be your biggest constraint. I was lucky to find a decent company in Chennai. I get to visit USA a couple of times a year. Family life is good, wife and relatives are happy to have us back as pretty much all my cousins are abroad. My son is the only next generation kid who can speak Tamil properly in our extended family. If you are religious, you will enjoy it as I get to go to Sabarimalai, Tirupathi, Tiruvannamalai every year and participate in festivals and religious events regularly.

Infrastructure is bad. Traffic is bad, so i outsourced driving by taking Auto, Uber, Metro or driver for hire. If you are not working with the government agencies, you will not notice Corruption. Dirt, Garbage and Sewage is the dealbreaker. I am still not able to accept people pissing in public. You will have to learn to look the other way at times. Please don't aspire to change the country in the first few years at least. In tamil there is saying, even if your mother is the she devil, you will always love her. India is a beautiful country and you will enjoy it inspite of several deficiencies.

Rule 4: India = Place where you grew up. Move back to your home town & home culture.

I did not move to Bangalore even though i had several high paying offers. Bangalore is a good city, but it was somewhere in between US and India. India for me is where i grew up with my family and it turns out to be Chennai. You can try a few years in other Indian cities, but eventually your mind will ask you to return to US or heart will ask you to move to your hometown. Please be ready for hindi speaking environment and north / south politics in technology offices. I had several close north friends in US and can speak hindi fluently hence managed to retain a balanced perspective.

Rule 5: Lots of positive surprises in store at India

People will treat you with a lot of respect for your global experience. At personal side, India still respects age, teenagers and youth will call you anna and treat you with respect.At work, suddenly you will find yourself in a role which your boss's boss was doing in the US. Most important - you will not feel like a fish out of water in any situation at India. you are home.

I don't know whether i will have to move again to another US or Indian city in search of better opportunities in the future. But i know i had a good 5 years with my own share of ups and downs and plan to enjoy it as long as it lasts.

Good luck with your decision and move to India. It is worth it.

Good post.

This is key
[QUOTE]
Rule 4: India = Place where you grew up. Move back to your home town & home culture.
This gets the maximum ROI in R2I, which is the main longing and driver for R2I.


[QUOTE]Rule 2: Life is tough wherever you live, so please move for yourself not for anyone else.This mindset helps you get inner peace. Can't blame anyone, so this helps take ownership and greater incentive to change/make R2I work.

I like this:
"
If you are religious, you will enjoy it as I get to go to Sabarimalai, Tirupathi, Tiruvannamalai every year and participate in festivals and religious events regularly.
"

Thanks. It is good to read, well put. I am about to R2I soon after my family moved back to Chennai couple of years ago. Even though I am not from Chennai, but still from TN. But moving without job and doubt that I will get one. Agree with you on the religious and other things and hoping our R2I will work out well.

desicus;623696I like the swades song, it captures the longing for home beautifully.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tiVPuLbbHg

In case you are the type who enjoys US thoroughly and feel contented, once in a while you feel guilty about your parents in India and / or feel nostalgic. You should spend a few thousand dollars extra every year and visit India multiple times a year. US is a perfectly fine country to live rest of your lives.

In case you are the type who gets up in the morning, feel dull, depressed and wish for India pretty much every day like Shahrukh Khan in Swades, even though you own a big house and multiple cars in US. I would recommend you to move. Life is short, find the courage, Move to India, go for the adventure, you will feel happy, else you will regret rest of your life for not even trying, remember you can always move back to USA if you want as it is a connected flat digital world.

Last week a friend called me and thanked me. Apparently my below views helped her family in making the decision to move back to Delhi from US and she is pretty happy with her move. Based on a few similar requests, I wrote this article to help people who are on the edge and unable to decide. There are several friends who have moved back to India, pretty happy with their move in my circle and will agree with the below article.

Rule 1: Big decisions in life like moving to india or marrying someone or choosing a profession should come from the heart not from the analytical number crunching mind.


I lived in the US for 12 years, it has been 5 years since we moved back to Chennai and we love it. I work in Analytics. Analytics is basically helping large Fortune 500 corporations make decisions (million dollar investments) using technology, data and numbers. But when it comes to making big personal decisions, like moving to India. I recommend you make the decision with your heart and not with numbers. You are moving to less money and less comfort, so the move to india decision was made by my wife and i from the heart and not by the mind. Yes, we are middle class Indians now like our parents, but some how we are pretty contented with our lifestyle.

Rule 2: Life is tough wherever you live, so please move for yourself not for anyone else.

Life is tough wherever you live. Move for yourself. Please don't move for your parents or your kids else you will blame them for the difficulties you will face in life after your move. Please ensure your spouse is 100% aligned with you. Don't expect everyone else in your family and friends to be aligned. You will have health issues in the first few years, but your body will remember and get used to the Indian conditions. US is a good country with great values, but try not to compare US and India and be ready to unlearn a few habits.

Rule 3: Personal life is good, Work life is good, Infrastructure is bad

Getting a job for someone 30+ is pretty difficult in India, Earlier the move the better. This will be your biggest constraint. I was lucky to find a decent company in Chennai. I get to visit USA a couple of times a year. Family life is good, wife and relatives are happy to have us back as pretty much all my cousins are abroad. My son is the only next generation kid who can speak Tamil properly in our extended family. If you are religious, you will enjoy it as I get to go to Sabarimalai, Tirupathi, Tiruvannamalai every year and participate in festivals and religious events regularly.

Infrastructure is bad. Traffic is bad, so i outsourced driving by taking Auto, Uber, Metro or driver for hire. If you are not working with the government agencies, you will not notice Corruption. Dirt, Garbage and Sewage is the dealbreaker. I am still not able to accept people pissing in public. You will have to learn to look the other way at times. Please don't aspire to change the country in the first few years at least. In tamil there is saying, even if your mother is the she devil, you will always love her. India is a beautiful country and you will enjoy it inspite of several deficiencies.

Rule 4: India = Place where you grew up. Move back to your home town & home culture.

I did not move to Bangalore even though i had several high paying offers. Bangalore is a good city, but it was somewhere in between US and India. India for me is where i grew up with my family and it turns out to be Chennai. You can try a few years in other Indian cities, but eventually your mind will ask you to return to US or heart will ask you to move to your hometown. Please be ready for hindi speaking environment and north / south politics in technology offices. I had several close north friends in US and can speak hindi fluently hence managed to retain a balanced perspective.

Rule 5: Lots of positive surprises in store at India

People will treat you with a lot of respect for your global experience. At personal side, India still respects age, teenagers and youth will call you anna and treat you with respect.At work, suddenly you will find yourself in a role which your boss's boss was doing in the US. Most important - you will not feel like a fish out of water in any situation at India. you are home.

I don't know whether i will have to move again to another US or Indian city in search of better opportunities in the future. But i know i had a good 5 years with my own share of ups and downs and plan to enjoy it as long as it lasts.

Good luck with your decision and move to India. It is worth it.

desicus;623696 Move to India, go for the adventure, you will feel happy, else you will regret rest of your life for not even trying, remember you can always move back to USA if you want as it is a connected flat digital world.

Good luck with your decision and move to India. It is worth it.

One of the more useful and encouraging posts in recent times. Thanks for spreading the truth and the cheer.

Hats off to the 'Desicus' for such a simple, beautiful and practical message which directly flows from his heart:emrose:

desicus;623696
Rule 4: India = Place where you grew up. Move back to your home town & home culture.

So true.. we moved to Chennai but our home town is b'lore and you are right, we weren't home... you cannot stress this enough, if you are not moving to your home town or atleast home state... it is not worth it.

indian6;623838Thanks. It is good to read, well put. I am about to R2I soon after my family moved back to Chennai couple of years ago. Even though I am not from Chennai, but still from TN. But moving without job and doubt that I will get one. Agree with you on the religious and other things and hoping our R2I will work out well.

I am pretty sure you will get a job in Bangalore. Please network heavily. Men defines themselves with their jobs. so I would advise you to find a job else after the first few honeymoon 6 months you will start feeling frustrated.

I think there are some hints in your original post which tell, you are the kind of person who won't like to stay abroad for too long.

Basically, I find, that it depends on what we value most, that kind of motivates us to stay abroad or in India.

The points you made about being a religious person and also about the fact that you appreciate youngsters respecting elders, is a clear give away that you are an Indian at heart.

I live in Singapore and to me the most important values are equality, gender equality, race based equality and appreciation of a person's work rather than age. We already know about gender based discrimination in India, then we have class system and caste related biases. Regarding age, being in IT I find that in Singapore or any Western country it's perfectly fine to be very old and still do coding. In India it is a big taboo. Career is given too much of weightage than work life balance. Money, salary, savings, position these are the things that drive Indians.

But I agree with your part that India is home and I can be identified only as an Indian and I love Indian food, there is no way you can remove the Indian from me, our near and dear ones are in India, so for these reasons the longing for India will always be there and these are good enough to make the move.

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