One question from his uncle changed this Indian professional’s life forever

An Indian professional who moved back home from the US has shared how a single conversation during an H-1B visa stamping trip six years ago changed the course of his life. His post on X came in response to Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu’s open letter urging Indians living in America to consider returning to India.

The professional said his decision to move back began during that stamping trip, when 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.

Since returning, he said one of the biggest positives has been being closer to family, spending more time with his parents, celebrating festivals with relatives and building a stronger social life. He also found professional opportunities came more easily. ‘One phone call opens doors that would take months of LinkedIn outreach in Chicago or the Bay Area,’ he wrote.

He didn’t shy away from India’s challenges either, pointing to infrastructure, traffic, business processes and pollution as everyday struggles. Still, he said these issues weren’t enough to make him regret his decision. ‘I came because the equation worked for me,’ he wrote, adding that Bharat ‘has to become a place worth coming to, not just a place we owe ourselves to.’

Image: Wikimedia Commons/by Kushagra140