Watch: We Didn't Plan to Move Back to India.. Until This Happened | NRI | 25 Years in US

3:51 Again, tremendous opportunity. So, I switched careers quite a bit. >> [snorts] >> And the last 10 years or so, I'm in textiles. Yeah. So, we have a I have a home textiles business and we make textiles for the home. My factory's here in India and the US is my biggest market. We make sheets and blankets, quilts, like all the textiles for the home. It's a sustainable operation. again, very few Indians in the US in this field, but there's there's a lot of opportunity.

4:30 So, it sounds like I think you built businesses, you had a good career, and life was good. I mean, it that definitely gave you the environment where you thrive. so, why the move to India and, you know, after living there for so long? I didn't actually think about moving to India until about maybe four or five years ago and there was a little bit of a seed in my head once I had my child. And he was growing up and I was thinking, you know, this is very different from how I grew up. It would be nice for him to experience that multi-generational love in a family, you know. so, there's a little bit of a seed that happened then, but then I was hesitating and I wasn't sure if it's the right thing to do. So, I would just keep putting it off. And then [snorts] the catalyst for me, there were two things.

5:25 So, one was my business in India really took off. So, there was a time when I was coming to India every month. And I would take the there was that non-stop flight from San Francisco to Bangalore that I would take. They they knew me on that on that flight. I was on it so much. And it was [snorts] with a small child, it's it's exhausting. It was really tiring. I kept thinking, I think I'm doing this upside down. I think I should be living in India, taking care of business, and then going to the US. That was one thing, but I think the the the real sort of the the last straw for me was when my father passed away 2 years ago, and [music] I same flight I had taken the same flight from the US >> back to India. And on that flight, I'm thinking I'm going for the funeral, and on that flight, I'm thinking, my [music] god, I live so far away from home.

6:26 It was in that moment on that flight, and I've taken that flight [music] hundreds of times, but it was that in that moment that I realized, you know, that I live really far away from home. Reaching home during an emergency or something is >> is so difficult. And in that moment, I started to think, if I just keep thinking I should move, I should move, it won't happen. >> Let me just do it. And I told myself, we'll do it one academic school year at a time. >> And if it doesn't work out, then we'll just go back. So, I didn't put the pressure on myself that it's a [music] big permanent move. None of that. I just told myself, we'll do it 1 year at a time. It's my second year now, and I'm really glad. I think it's been a good move. I'm I'm glad that I made the move.

7:15 That was quite easy, actually, because my family and my business are all in Tamil Nadu. Okay. This is where I'm from. So, in my mind, it was clear if I ever move, it would be here, right? So, that was an easy choice. And luckily for me, during COVID, I had built a house. Okay. Thinking that, you know, I'll I'll build a house, so that way when I come to visit India then I have, you know, my own space. Yeah. So, the the house was there. So, then I I just moved into it. You got it. So, in terms of where to move, I think that was an easier decision. I think the more like the administrative things that needed to happen were back on the US side. So, for the first 6 months I didn't make a decision on my house in the US. Yeah. Because I wasn't sure, right? Is this going to work out or not?

8:14 I just wanted to keep options open so that I had flexibility in case we were deciding to go back. Yeah. So, 6 months after I moved to India, I decided, "Okay, this feels right. So, now I'm going to rent my house in the US." Yeah. So, then I rented my house in the US. So, administratively, it was Mhm. that was the big one. You got it. I'm in Madurai in Tamil Nadu. So, it's a second-tier city, right? So, it's not as big as a Chennai, certainly not as big as a Bangalore. So, the things that were a bit of an adjustment for me were the flight connectivities. So, every time I had to fly somewhere, I always had one extra connection because I was going from a second-tier city. So, I had to do Madurai-Bangalore and then the US or Madurai-Chennai and then like wherever I'm going. so, that added a little bit of

9:14 Complexity, but I think it's a very small price to pay for You got it. what I get here, you know, because I'm closer to family, I'm closer to my business as well. one thing I find being in a smaller town, there's fewer distractions so I actually get more work done. So, it's I'm actually more productive, you know, I'm more focused. So, I like it. I think the big one and I'm no, you know, expert in this, but I think tax planning becomes very important. Because if you're going from NRI to living in India, then you're going to be RNOR, you're going you're going to be ROR, and then you'll be a resident Indian. So, your tax repercussions is a big one.

10:12 And your tax repercussions also change as your status changes. So, it's very important to have a very strong tax person in the US and then also in India. I recommend finding a cross-border expert, like an in pat expat expert that understands the NRI situation really well. I didn't bring anything. I I didn't see the point. To me, it was just material stuff, you know? I have a little, you know, one of those pod things. So, I have my very important, critical things packed and it's stored in the pod.

11:02 A lot of the furniture, I was very lucky. My tenant was thrilled to rent the house with my furniture, so I didn't like, you know, move move a lot of things. The only like big ticket item that I had to get rid of was my car, and that's so easy. Post-COVID second-hand car market in the US is crazy. I sold it in one day. that was it.

11:31 So, now let's talk about the life in India. I know I think at the time of the move your plan was to test the waters, take it one year at a time, and see how it goes. so how has the life been? I mean it's been about 2 years this second year as you said. Like how how is it? Was there any initial adjustments? Was there anything that anytime you felt like you missed something from US? I think I miss the weather. It's like right now, right? It's it's very hot in Madurai. So you know, I wish that I I I miss the the cooler weather. I like cool weather, so I miss that. I'm I miss the ease of getting things done.

12:19 Just anything, getting things done, procuring something, it's much easier in the US. But at the same time, what I realized is the US is designed for these kind of like conveniences, but it maybe not necessarily designed for community. So I think the trade-off for me is I'm getting community, and then if if something is broken or if I have to procure something, you know, pizza flour or something like that, it takes me a few extra days, but it's okay. Yeah. And the but the biggest difference that I I see is in the medical care, and I know that people mention this in your pods quite a bit.

13:12 I'm really enjoying the ease of access to medical excellent medical care in India. The doctors and hospitals in the US are also very good, but there's often a wait. And I noticed at least in the town that I lived post COVID, four or five months or something. So, Often in the US insurance is keeper of what kind of medical care you receive.

14:00 You can't just go and So, in this particular situation, months to see the specialist. So, I specialist, and then flew back. And I felt less riskier than waiting, right? When I especially when it comes to medical stuff. that I find here is a big advantage. I knew a lot of people in this town, you know, since I'm from here and so there's childhood friends and I felt like there was already a built-in community. And then also what happened for me was some of the business groups and organizations roped me in.

14:53 So, that also became my community. So, I didn't have an issue. It was, you know, it was easy for me to come back and just plug into that group of childhood friends or there's a business group, like-minded people. so, that was it was not an issue. In fact, in comparison, the US is is is slightly isolating. Okay. And I think the ease in which you socialize here is is greater. You know, like like playdates, right? I was very surprised when I first moved to the US and then this concept of playdates and I think like what? You have to make an appointment to play? You know, so I feel like socialization here is it's it's more organic. I like that.

15:46 My child, it was a little bit of a adjustment and it was really interesting to see the move through a child's eyes because he was born and brought up in the US. That's all he knew. We visited India and he speaks the language, but still living here was very different. And you know, he would he would comment on on things like, "Oh, Amma, India is so loud." You know, or he'll say, "Don't drive I drive here. It's it's it's important to me that I keep driving in India as well, so I drive here and I have a license and everything and he'll say, "Are you sure you can manage the roads here?" You know, because he's noticing that you have to share the roads with the the goats and the the the cows and it's it's it's very different. It was very interesting and then he said, "Amma, how come all Indians have black hair?" Because he was in a school where it was this multicultural people looked, you know, there was all kinds of looks and

16:46 Then here it's more everybody looks the same. It was it was very interesting. And then he was shocked the first Christmas that we were here. He said, "What do you mean there's no snow in Madurai?" So [laughter] I said, "No, we won't have a white Christmas. It doesn't snow in in Madurai." So it was an it was an adjustment I think more for him than me. For me this is it's home, you know, it's just coming back home. So he's in IB. For him the I think the biggest change was the scale of things. He was in a little private school on the US West Coast and then he your Indian even the smaller Indian schools are quite big, right? Com- compared to the US scale. So, he was quite surprised about the scale of things. So, I think it took him a few months to settle into that. But, he's a friendly guy. He makes friends very easily. And it was very interesting. Unlike when I was growing up, now with the internet and everything,

17:48 The 10-year-old in the US and the 10-year-old in India consume the same YouTube. So, when they get together and they talk, they're actually there's a lot of common ground. You know, they're actually discussing the same things and the same movies and Mr. Beast and all the all the creators. And so, there's a lot of common ground. And it was fascinating to see how the internet and technology bridges this cultural difference. And often there, you know, there there isn't much. And with him, I also found a lot of the kids thought that, you know, he was he was quite cool and, you know, he's he's come from the US and some of the kids they say, "Hey, I want to speak like you." So, it was it was he made friends quickly. So, that helped.

18:44 It's easier in the US for sure, right? When it comes to administratively setting up a business. I mean, I can go online right now and register an LLC, for example. So, it when it comes to that sort of, you know, red tape and and and hoops to jump through, US is easier. But, I think the in India, it's become more simplified and it's become easier over the last 15, you know, 10 10 15 years or so in even in terms of, you know, regulation hurdles to incorporate something, it's absolutely, it's gotten better. But corporate culture-wise, I find that in India there's still that hierarchy and you know, there's the the way they view the boss, right? Some Sometimes I see if the boss is in the office, then the people don't go

19:45 Home and I tell them, you know, it's okay. If you've done your work, just go go at 5:00. It's fine. So, that sort of that that hierarchy, I find that they're still holding on to. Also, I'm in an industry that's more traditional and in textiles, I'm sure tech is different. but the the the culture in the textile industry, corporate culture, I think we can learn a lot from the West.

20:13 Really think about the intent. What is your intention behind moving back to India? What is it that you want out of the move? I think you [snorts] have to be very clear about that for you to be you know, successful within the move. And keep in mind, you know, those of us who moved like decades ago, there is this this cultural memory of India that is from when you moved. You know, if you moved in the '90s, then often the immigrants in the US or anywhere think that India's still like that. And I find that that colors their move.

21:02 Often they [snorts] think like they don't want to move because to them India is the India of the '90s. The the roads, or the infrastructure, or whatever, is of the '90s, but then I I think we have to calibrate, and really look at India for what it is today, and what it offers today, and it's it's technologically very advanced in in certain fields. It's more advanced than the US. There's more conveniences. So, I I think that cultural memory has to be adjusted, so that they have realistic expectations of the the real India that they're moving into.

21:48 See, as a parent, you know, and someone who owns a business, like overall, I'm a you know, quite a busy person. one of the things I was pleasantly surprised about. I didn't actually think about it, but in India, often your household services are on autopilot. The cooking, cleaning, laundry, driving, if you want to, you can easily put that on autopilot. You can hire people to do that for you. And especially where I'm at, it's easy.

22:34 And it's something that I sort of not really thought about. And then when I moved here, I realized, "Wow, this frees up a lot of my time to do more intellectual, strategic work." You know, instead of the the more basic administrative things, which takes up a lot of time. If in the US, then, you know, often you have to do all of that yourself. And it's something I had just taken for granted in the US and I kind of forgotten that you can actually get, you know, help in that department. So, I think that was that was a big one.

23:20 I think the way society views children, you know, in in India is very endearing. Right? They will accept your child. You can take your child to most places. They society just adores and often reveres children. So, I think it's a very healthy place, you know, for for children to grow up. The other thing I really appreciated is the sense of community. Right? Like it's that that metaphorical door is always open. You know, you can So, so socializing wise, like I said, like I found the US a little more isolating or socializing was more structured. Here is more organic.

24:14 That I like. And also like all the the delivery apps and all these conveniences, you know, I think it's is much better than where where I used to live. So, that was also a nice surprise. Got it. Understood. All right. So, yeah, thank you very much for taking the time and wish you all the best with your business and I know the future plans. So, really appreciate you taking the time and sharing your story with us today. Thank you. Thanks for having me. Great.