Has She Made a Wise Choice Retiring in India After 42 Years in the UK?

Key Takeaways

• 42 years abroad: Moved to UK in 1977, worked at British Telecom for 17.5 years
• Always homesick: Despite good life in London, visited India almost every year
• Husband's decision: After friends passed away, husband suddenly wanted to return
• Smooth transition: Regular visits to India made the move easier
• No regrets: Despite losing husband, committed to staying in India

The Beginning: 1977 London

Sujata's journey to the UK began in 1977, right after marriage:

"I went to England, London in 1977 after we got married. My husband who was living there... Unfortunately after coming back, my husband passed away, so I am alone now."

Career Journey in the UK

Sujata built a successful career spanning multiple decades:

The Homesickness That Never Left

Despite a successful life in London, Sujata was always homesick:

"The thing is I was very very extremely homesick and I used to come almost every year to India to my mom and my dad."

Her husband's approach to her homesickness:

"My husband was a type of person, he was very quiet and he didn't say anything yes or no because he knew it was just a temporary tantrum. Every time I'll go and something happens, I'm not very happy at all - oh I'm going back to India. And he didn't say yes or no, nothing. So we just carried on."

The Turning Point: Friends Passing Away

The decision to return came unexpectedly from her husband:

"All of a sudden one after another my friend's husband, our friends passed away. And all of a sudden my husband said 'I want to go back, I don't like this country anymore.' I don't know what came into his mind."

The Process

• Put house on market initially
• Came to India for a trial year
• Returned to UK excited to make the permanent move
• Sold the house and moved back in 2018

"When I went back I was really happy, really excited - oh I'm coming back! I was buying perfumes on the flight and this and that. I was so happy."

Why Kolkata?

The choice of Kolkata was practical:

"I was actually born in Kolkata but because of my dad's job we moved to Assam. We bought our flat in 2000. Because it was near his sisters, that's why. And I don't know anywhere else - I don't even know Kolkata that much."

The Transition: Easier Than Expected

Despite 42 years abroad, the transition was smooth:

"Although we lived for so long abroad, but we always came to India. So it's not that we didn't come for three years, four years - we came almost every year. You got to get used to lots of things but we didn't have much problem really."

Regular visits throughout the years made the permanent transition much easier. The key was never losing touch with India.

The Tragedy: Losing Her Husband

Shortly after returning, Sujata faced tremendous loss:

"Unfortunately after my younger sister - she was looking forward for us to come back - within two years I lost my youngest sister. After just after one year, and the next year within two years I lost my beloved husband."

The Contrast with UK

Sujata reflects on what could have been if they stayed in UK:

"Being alone in her big house and sometimes she was so hungry, she couldn't, didn't even have time to do any cooking or anything for her. And she passed away, you know, she will call the ambulance herself - there was nobody."

This observation about a friend in UK reinforces her decision to stay in India despite the losses.

Life in India Now

After 6 years in India, Sujata is committed to staying:

"I have got British passport but there is no point for me to go back there. I don't think I will ever go back."

Her Perspective on India

"India is not for the beginners and it's not for the backpackers."

This statement reflects the reality that returning to India requires preparation, familiarity, and realistic expectations.

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