IndChamp R2I Diary; Boston to Gurgaon

[IndChamp]

After a year.......

It's now been a year plus one month since we moved back to India - time really flies!

It has been an eventful year but quite frankly, looking back I am surprised at how easily our family adjusted to the move. For sure there were some stressful events in the first year but none that made us ever question the decision to move back. It has also been a pleasant surprise to see how many people there are now in India with a similar background - between my workplace and friends circle there are about 20 folks who had left India, studied and worked abroad for a number of years and have chosen to move back. This may not be a megatrend yet but R2I'ng is certainly not an isolated activity practiced by a few "confused" folks anymore........

I have been priviliged to get a chance to travel around India in the last year. Visited Kolkata, Guwahati, Pune and Nashik for the first time ever - it's great to see the varied geography and cultures in India. It's a great feeling to experience the common threads in our culture irrespective of where you go in India. I was pleasantly surprised at how widely Hindi was spoken and understood in Kolkata and Guwahati! The North Eastern part of the country is extremely beautiful and a bit laid back from the fast paced life in other parts of the country.

India is now extremely well connected by air - from Delhi you can fly to pretty much any part of the country (ok, exclude Port Blair) in 2-3 hours. It's fun to see all segments of the society embrace air-travel and to have multiple flight options (there are more than 14 DAILY flights between Mumbai and Delhi). Still haven't gathered enouigh courage to travel by trains....Road travel between some of the cities is still a hair-raising, death-defying, and adrenaline pumping experience - won't reccomend trying this at night!!

Workplace professionalism depends on the sector and the companies you work with/for. Most MNC's and "new-economy" companies are fine, though not always at par with the western work style. However, things are changing for the better and each years crop of college grads is more confident and professional in their approach. The "old-economy" firms and dealing with the small retail establishments though still requires the "old" skill sets! It's hilarious for me at times to experience interacting with colleagues in Europe and a customer in old-Delhi during the same day - I guess it's a privilege to have been brought up in India and and having worked abroad as one needs to shift professional gears in a heart-beat!!

There is an energy about India that one can only experience by living here. And it's totally different from what one may experience anywhere else in the world because of the tremendous diversity and confluence of multiple streams in India - the stark disparity between extremely (at times filthy) rich folks and poor souls who literally have nothing; the bullock cart that hasn't changed much since the last 1000 years standing right next to the sparkling new Bentley in front of a Golf course; world class malls within a few kilometers of old, unstructured but even more crowded local markets; an elevated world class Metro but roads that would put the lunar surface to shame................yes, India is truly INCREDIBLE and living in India is an incredible experience.

More later....Best, IndChamp.

[pm071]

Excellent and a very positive post !!!

[Froogle]

After a year.......
There is an energy about India that one can only experience by living here

Very true . hard to describe but living will have you experience it.

[bosncr]

glad to hear your positive exp. We are in the process of moving to Gurgaon from Boston (!) and are these days in Gurgaon for home renovations. Would love to connect with you.
Thanks again for keeping the diary updated for everyone!!

[iamnotsure]

Great Post IndChamp. I have been living in US for past 13 years. We have two kids born in US. (aged 4/1) I am from North india (UP) and planning to move back to India.