Indian Professional Explains Reasons for Returning from US

An Indian professional who returned from the US has shared his experience of moving back home after an H-1B stamping trip became a turning point in his life. His response on X came after Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu’s open letter urging Indians living in America to consider returning to India.

Responding to the letter, the professional said that his decision to move back began during an H-1B visa stamping trip six years ago. During that visit, a conversation with his uncle made him rethink his future plans. His uncle asked him, “If you want to do something of your own eventually, why not do it in India? Create value here.”

Around six months later, he moved back to India. After returning, he said one of the biggest positives was being closer to family. He described being able to spend more time with parents, celebrate festivals with relatives and have a stronger social life.

He also spoke about the professional opportunities he found in India. According to him, building connections and accessing networks was easier compared to his experience in the US. “One phone call opens doors that would take months of LinkedIn outreach in Chicago or the Bay Area,” he wrote. He also highlighted the relief of not having to deal with visa-related uncertainty. “There is no hanging sword of a visa or green card, no ‘go back to your country’ muttered in a parking lot. You are home,” he said.

However, the professional also shared the difficulties he faced after returning. He said problems related to infrastructure, traffic, business processes and pollution were part of everyday life. Talking about civic issues, he said roads were repeatedly dug up for different works without proper coordination. “The road to office itself is dug up at least nine months of the year! Water, then cables, then broken drainage slabs, then white topping, then water again,” he wrote.

He also spoke about the challenges of running a business, claiming that permissions often took much longer than expected and involved dealing with frequent inspections. He mentioned that commuting remained a major issue and said air quality required additional expenses. “The twenty-minute commute takes sixty. The air requires purifiers in every room,” he wrote.

The professional also raised concerns about housing costs and said buying a home in a good locality remained difficult for many salaried professionals. He further mentioned challenges related to finding affordable quality schooling, public spaces and daily disruptions caused by blocked footpaths, traffic and loudspeakers.

Despite these concerns, he said these issues were not enough to make him regret returning. He said his decision was based on a combination of factors, including family, opportunities and a desire to contribute to India. “I came because the equation worked for me,” he wrote.

He added that people living abroad should carefully think about what they are trading before deciding to return. “Bharat needs us, yes. But Bharat also has to become a place worth coming to, not just a place we owe ourselves to,” he wrote.