A Canada NRI return regret story with practical fixes for pollution, road rage, corruption, school safety, reverse culture shock, work-culture expectations, and backup planning.
Amarjit's family tried returning from Canada to Delhi, then moved back within a year. This is a practical regret checklist for NRIs testing India before selling assets, changing schools, or closing Canada options.
Not every return to India story has a happy ending. Amarjit's journey is a crucial reminder that R2I isn't right for everyone. After 3 years in the UK and 10 years in Canada, he moved his family to Delhi with dreams of a stress-free life close to family. Within a year, a near-fatal road rage incident and his wife's severe asthma attacks from Delhi's pollution forced them back to Canada. His story offers invaluable lessons for NRIs considering the move.
For Amarjit's family, returning to India was not a mistake because India is impossible. It became a mistake because the family moved too fast, chose Delhi without testing health and safety risk through pollution season, and kept expectations from Canada while entering normal India life.
For Canada NRIs, the fix is practical: test the exact city for 3-4 months, include school days and weekday commutes, keep Canada housing and work options open, plan tax and asset continuity, and decide only after the move survives normal life outside vacation mode.
Amarjit's story begins in New Delhi, where going abroad was never in his plans. Coming from a middle-class family with limited opportunities, he started his own transport business. But his father had other ideas.
"Going abroad was never in my mind. But coming from middle class family, there were not many opportunities. My dad didn't like my transport business, so he was like, we got to send you abroad. Things moved at such a rapid pace - within two months I got my visa and flew to England for an MBA."
The culture shock was immediate and intense. Like most Indians moving abroad, he went from having everything done for him to buying his own groceries and cooking his own food without a clue how to do it.
After completing his MBA in the UK, opportunities were scarce. The goal shifted to earning money and getting settled - something he didn't see happening in India at the time. With zero pathway to stay in the UK, he filed for Canadian PR and successfully moved to Canada within a few years.
In Canada, Amarjit got into real estate and found significant success. His initial goal was simple: make one crore rupees and return to India.
"The goal is always to make one crore. It's almost like, okay, that's the figure that I have to achieve, and once I achieve that figure, I'm going to go back to India."
He ended up making way more than that target. When he called his father with the news, the advice was to invest in a commercial building in India. The rental income started flowing, and suddenly the temptation to return became overwhelming.
Despite having a good management position in Canada, the stress was taking its toll. Waking up early, working long hours, and never being able to switch off the phone even after hours - it was exhausting.
"Even though I've got a very good position, I'm in a management position, but still you wake up early, you go there, you come back, and even after hours you cannot switch off your phone. Lot of stress."
The primary motivation was simple: enjoy life and be close to family. India offered the temptation of festivals, family functions, and a lifestyle where the only "work" would be collecting rent on the first of every month.
There was nothing negative pushing them away from Canada - it was all about the pull of what India could offer. They were excited about the possibilities.
Amarjit and his wife are opposites when it comes to planning. She loves to plan and is very organized. He's self-admittedly disorganized and doesn't plan at all - "but things happen."
The decision came together in a single conversation:
"One day I sat down with her, I'm like, what are your thoughts about going back home? She wasn't very sure about it. An hour later I convinced her - close to family, rental income first of every month, all the festivals. She said yes. Within 15 days we had our house rented out."
Despite the quick decision, they made one crucial choice that would later prove invaluable: they didn't sell anything.
"Even though we didn't realize it at that time, back of the mind there still was always this thought - what if things didn't work out? So we always wanted to have that cushion. We could always sell the house, sell the vehicles, but it was like, let's go in there, test it out, and see how it goes."
Within 3 weeks of that initial conversation, they were flying to India on a one-way ticket with their two young children (ages 4 and 5).
The first several months in India were everything Amarjit had dreamed of. Life was, in his words, "freaking awesome" with zero stress.
"Life was awesome. Freaking zero stress. I didn't have to work. The only thing I had to do was collect rent."
Without the pressure of a demanding job, life took on a leisurely pace:
"We were traveling so much it was unreal. You wake up and say, okay, we're going to Nepal today, Singapore tomorrow, Thailand or Malaysia next month."
Living with his father meant no housing expenses - the biggest cost in Delhi. The only "work" was collecting rent by the 15th of each month, and after that, the only job was spending it.
The food culture was a highlight they still miss - not five-star restaurants, but average local places with incredible food. The eating out, the traveling, the family time - these were the aspects that made India special.
Amarjit describes his India experience as "the good, the bad, and the ugly." While there was a lot of good, the bad and ugly parts ultimately made staying impossible.
Road rage in Delhi, and North India generally, is described as "horrible." Parking disputes regularly escalate to violence, with people "splitting each other's head open."
"I got into a very ugly scene where my driver got attacked by four people. I had to rescue him. I got full blows myself too. It was very ugly. One of the rods hit me right over here, and the doctor told us if it was like half an inch up, you'll be dead."
This incident, happening right before they decided to return, was a major factor in their decision. The question became: "Is it really worth it?"
After years overseas, Amarjit found himself "rusty" when it came to dealing with India's corruption. His gentle personality, which had served him well in Canada, became a liability.
"You're not even used to it and you don't even realize that person's asking for a bribe. And suddenly everything changes if you don't offer that."
Even collecting rent required a personality change. Being soft meant people would take advantage. He found himself becoming angry like "thousands of other people in Delhi" - a transformation that bothered him deeply.
Later, when considering opening a manufacturing plant in Hosur, South India, the corruption was so pervasive that they abandoned the idea entirely. "It was almost like, not even worth it."
If you have a gentle, non-confrontational personality that has been reinforced by years of living in Western countries, be prepared for a significant adjustment. The skills that make you successful abroad may not translate directly to navigating certain aspects of life in India.
The first 9-10 months in India were manageable. But then came Diwali, and with it, Delhi's infamous pollution season.
Amarjit's wife has asthma. What had been a manageable condition became a medical emergency.
"Close to Diwali, right after Diwali, the pollution level got so unreal. She was in hospital every second day. Every evening she would get an attack. It was horrible."
The doctor's advice was blunt and life-changing:
"The doctor told me, 'Either look for a new place to live or look for a new wife.' I'm like, that's an easy choice, man."
The difference after returning to Canada was dramatic. In the 14 years since moving back, his wife hasn't had a single asthma attack. Not one.
Health and safety became the two major concerns that made the decision to leave India clear. No amount of stress-free living or family proximity could outweigh the risk to his wife's health and their family's safety.
If you or family members have respiratory conditions like asthma, COPD, or allergies, seriously research the air quality in your target city. Delhi's AQI regularly exceeds 400-500 during winter months - levels considered "hazardous" by international standards. Consider cities in South India or coastal areas with better air quality.
Searchers asking whether returning to India is a mistake usually need a decision filter, not another emotional story. Amarjit's case points to seven risk areas Canada NRIs should test before resigning, selling property, shipping everything, or locking children into a school.
| Risk area | How it showed up here | What to test before permanent return |
|---|---|---|
| Health and air quality | Asthma attacks became severe after Diwali pollution. | Spend time in target city during worst AQI months, not only December vacation. |
| Safety and daily friction | Road-rage incident made the family question whether staying was worth it. | Test commute, driving, parking, school routes, and neighborhood routines on weekdays. |
| Reverse culture shock | After years in Canada, corruption and confrontation felt harder to handle. | Handle banking, rent collection, repairs, government paperwork, and local services yourself. |
| Children's school safety | The family learned later that the younger child had been beaten at school. | Visit schools, speak to returnee parents, check discipline policies, and monitor first weeks closely. |
| Money and fallback | The move was reversible because Canadian house, furniture, and job network remained available. | Keep 12-24 months runway and avoid closing Canadian credit, housing, phone, and job options too early. |
| Work-culture expectations | The family wanted lower stress, but daily India friction created a different stress load. | Talk to returnees in your field about hours, hierarchy, commute, salary, and escalation norms. |
| Spouse alignment | The move happened fast after one conversation, with limited trial validation. | Use a written return plan where spouse, children, parents, job, school, and Plan B decisions are explicit. |
Start with the return-to-India checklist guide, then use the planner to connect school timing, tax residency, housing, shipping, and Plan B decisions. If Canada-specific finances are part of the decision, read the Canada to India relocation guide before closing accounts or changing residency.
Thanks to their backup plan, returning to Canada was remarkably smooth. Amarjit's expertise in his field meant he was in high demand.
"It was very easy. The field that I was in, I was very much in demand. I knew the moment I would come back I would have my job. Once the doctor told me we had to have a change of environment, it was not even an option."
He reached out to his former employer before even returning. The response was immediate: "We would love to have you back." He returned to his same position.
Everything they had kept in Canada was waiting for them:
This smooth transition underscores the wisdom of keeping a backup plan. Had they sold everything, the return would have been far more complicated and stressful.
After returning to Canada, Amarjit quit his job and started a company with his brother. In 14 years, they've built it into one of the largest cabinet fabrication businesses in Canada.
Now at a stage where semi-retirement is on the horizon, India is calling again. But this time, they're not answering.
"We're at that stage looking at semi-retirement, and again India is calling. But we wouldn't want to move back to India. We're looking at options - Dubai, Singapore. We might make those countries a base."
Several factors make these alternatives attractive:
The family dynamic also plays a role. Both sons are in university - the elder studying nuclear physics in Ontario, the younger planning to join the family business. If the younger son doesn't like wherever they move, they're prepared to pack up and follow him back.
"Our kids' circle is way more than ours, and right now it's all about them. If he comes back, man, we are packing our bags and following back again."
Drawing from his experience of an unsuccessful return, Amarjit offers practical advice for NRIs considering the move:
"Before you make that decision, live there for three months. Don't be like a tourist - when we go in December and come back in January, don't do that. Live there for three or four months. Immerse yourself."
The amount of time spent in the Western world means the adjustment won't be easy. You need to experience daily life, not vacation life.
Every part of India has its own challenges. What works in South India may not work in North India. Delhi has specific issues with pollution and road rage that may be less severe elsewhere.
Don't sell everything. Rent your house, store your belongings, keep your options open. The cushion of knowing you can return makes the trial less stressful and the decision clearer.
"Look at these other options. Dubai is only three hours away. It's almost having the best of both worlds. Delhi to Dubai is three hours - it seems like just an extension of India with the Indian diaspora there."
If you've developed a gentle, non-confrontational personality from years abroad, recognize that certain aspects of life in India may require you to change. Ask yourself if you're willing and able to make that adjustment.
"Don't just jump into it. Get your feet wet first and see how it goes from there." Living somewhere is fundamentally different from visiting. The day-to-day realities - dealing with bureaucracy, navigating traffic, managing health in different conditions - only become apparent when you're actually living there.
With children aged 4 and 5 at the time of the move, they were young enough that the transition didn't significantly impact them. They traveled everywhere with the family and adapted easily.
However, one concerning discovery emerged after returning to Canada: the younger son, who had hated going to pre-nursery school in India and cried every morning, had been beaten by his teacher every day.
"What we found out when we came back a year later - the teacher used to beat him up every day. Sad, but that's the reality."
This highlights the importance of closely monitoring children's school experiences, especially in environments where corporal punishment may still occur despite being officially prohibited.
For authoritative information on air quality and health considerations:
Amarjit's story shows why a backup plan and trial run are essential. Join the DesiReturn Inner Circle for access to detailed case studies, planning resources, and a community of NRIs navigating the same decisions.
"Before you make that decision, live there for three months. Don't be like a tourist." — Amarjit
Based on real experiences, the main reasons include health issues from pollution (especially for those with respiratory conditions like asthma), safety concerns including road rage incidents, difficulty adjusting to corruption in daily dealings, and underestimating how much living abroad changes your personality and expectations. Many NRIs also fail to do a proper trial run before committing fully.
Experts recommend living in India for at least 3-4 months before making a permanent decision. Don't be like a tourist visiting in December and leaving in January. Immerse yourself in daily life, deal with bureaucracy, experience different seasons including the pollution-heavy post-Diwali period, and see how your family adjusts to the realities of daily living.
Safety varies significantly by area and situation. Road rage is a serious concern in Delhi and North India, with incidents escalating to physical violence over parking disputes. One NRI shared being attacked by four people in a road rage incident, with injuries that could have been fatal. Consider these realities when choosing your city.
Delhi pollution can be devastating for those with respiratory conditions. One NRI's wife with asthma was hospitalized every second day during the post-Diwali pollution season after being fine for the first 9-10 months. The doctor advised either finding a new place to live or facing serious health consequences. After returning to Canada, she hasn't had a single asthma attack in 14 years.
Keeping a backup plan is wise. One NRI rented out his Canadian house instead of selling, stored furniture in the basement, and parked vehicles at his brother's place. When the India move didn't work out, he had his house back when the lease ended, furniture ready to move upstairs, and was resettled within 2-3 days. This cushion proved invaluable.
NRIs who've tried India and faced challenges often consider Dubai or Singapore as alternatives. Key reasons include: Dubai is only 3 hours from Delhi with zero income tax, Singapore has lower taxes than Canada, both have large Indian diaspora communities making it feel like an extension of India, and they offer better infrastructure while avoiding India's pollution and safety concerns.
After years abroad, NRIs often become 'rusty' dealing with India's corruption. You may not even recognize when someone is asking for a bribe, and refusing can make everything difficult. One NRI who tried opening a manufacturing plant in South India found the corruption so pervasive it wasn't worth pursuing. This adjustment is particularly hard for those with gentle personalities who avoid confrontation.
The recommended approach is: 1) Don't sell everything abroad - rent out your house and store belongings, 2) Do a 3-4 month trial run living like a local, not a tourist, 3) Consider your family's health conditions and how they'll handle pollution, 4) Have a backup plan and financial cushion, 5) Consider alternative locations like Dubai or Singapore if India doesn't work out.
It is a mistake only when the move is built on nostalgia instead of tested daily-life fit. Canada returnees should test air quality, commute, school discipline, spouse alignment, job or business runway, elder-care expectations, tax residency, and a return-to-Canada fallback before selling assets or forcing children into a permanent switch.
Test the exact city and neighborhood in normal weekday mode. Do school visits, commute trials, healthcare checks, pollution-season research, bank and rental paperwork, domestic-help setup, job or business calls, and family-boundary conversations. Keep Canadian housing, credit, phone, tax, and career options open until the India plan survives real life for several months.
Whether you're considering India, Dubai, Singapore, or staying abroad, get personalized guidance based on your unique situation. Our experts have helped hundreds of NRIs navigate this complex decision.
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0:05 The goal is always to make one CR it's it's almost like you know okay that's the figure that I have to achieve and once I achieve that figure you know is I'm going to go back to India even though we didn't realize it at that time I think back of the Mind there still was always this thought what of things didn't work out so we always wanted to have that cushion because you know we could always sell the house we could sell the vehicles but it was all like you know let's go in there test it out and see how it goes and those are the kind of things you know that kind of makes you think you know okay is is it really worth it or not so I think that that was a big part of it but we at that stage where looking at semi- retirement and again India is calling like you might want to say I personally think you know is before you make that decision live there for three months don't be like a tourist you know like we go in the December and come back in January don't do
1:27 That hello everyone welcome back to another episode of Da return today I am excited to have Mr Amar me on our show Mr Amar me spent close to 3 years in UK and 10 years in Canada before giving a try of return back to India after spending an year family has decided to be back in Canada and now they have been spending close to 14 years in Canada this is an interesting and an important episode because this is not like a typical successful r2i transition I think it's important to bring the stories people's experience present the information on both sides of the coin so that people can make an informed decision and I really appreciate Mr amarit to be on the show and to share something you know that that's not a successful story right not a lot of people will be willing to do that so I really appreciate you taking the time and willing to share
2:28 Your journey with us on our podcast with that welcome Amit to our show well thanks l i you know first of all thanks for having me over here really appreciate that I've got zero hesitation sharing my story to me you know these podcasts internet you know it's open up so much man learning is so much easy nowadays and knowledge is everything so if I can learn something from you or you can learn something from me or people who are here you know who are going to watch it can get some out of it I think it's going to be good for everyone thank you yes thanks a lot so
3:01 Yeah let's start a bit about your background so what made you to move abroad you know from Europe to Canada I think let's start with that and then we can take it from there if you're relocating to India after years abroad listen up I have created something that will absolutely save you precious time that most nris waste while Googling this is based on my interaction with hundreds of people about their move back Journeys and uncover the biggest frustrations nris face when planning their return so I came up with something that can help a 15 week email series a free step-by-step road map to address these challenges and make your move path smoother and stressfree whether you're moving back for family retirement or VISA related reasons we got you covered here is what you will get each week actionable tips to decide if moving back is the right choice strategies to plan your move back whether it's from Logistics career
4:02 Financial tax planning how to choose the best school for your kids and we also have several checklist that help you with the move from a financial Logistics and much more this isn't just an advice it's carefully crafted road map to save your time reduce stress and help you make better decisions ready to plan your move with the confidence click the link below in the description to join for free and start receiving actionable strategies rightly in your inbox yeah it's an interesting story you know it's I'm from New Delhi yeah and going abroad was never in my mind but you know coming from middle class family there were not many opportunities I got into my own transport business but my dad didn't like it so he was like you know we got to send you abroad and things moved at such a rapid Pace I thought it's never going to happen but within two months I got my Visa flew abroad you know to England from an
5:03 NBA huge culture shock you know like most of us you know it's just in India you're used to doing everything yourself and you know suddenly you get into a country where you know you buy your own groceries cooking your own food where you don't even have a clue how to do it so that kind of stuff you know did met degree over there didn't see many opportunities you know cuz you know once you start living abroad for a for a while initially you get homesick but once that phase is over you know then you got to make a decision okay you know what and again being from middle class is the goal was always to earn money get settled in life and I didn't see that happening in India so the first goal was you know somehow you know in UK but there was absolutely zero way to you know for that to happen at that time yeah so you know file a PR for Canada and and luckily that happened in few years so moved to
6:03 Canada and got into a job did well came back to India yeah that was about it and then went back again got it so yeah let's talk about the life in Canada right I think after your studies you have the opportunity to be in Canada sounds like
6:23 I think you have been working and life you know how is it and why the thought of moving back to India occurred hey so what happened was you know it's I was in a position where you know it's I'm going to go back to India and U well obviously my wife were with me and my kids were here as well so go back and just kind of relax well luckily I got you know I got into real estate and luckily I made it I ended up making way more than that so okay you have all this money you know what do you do I call my dad and he goes the leave building and industrial building let's invest into it yeah let's do that the would say you know the rent start to come in now certainly you're tempted a lot you know okay here I'm working my ass off even though I've got a very good position I'm in a management position you know but still it's you
7:24 Wake up early you go there you come back and even after hours you know cuz if you're in a senior position you cannot switch off your phone so lot of stress and so that was the primary reason I think to enjoy life being close to family is India is such a huge Temptation you know so there was nothing negative it was all good about going over there we were very excited got it and if you can set a stage like you know to understand it right how old were
7:57 The kids so you know at the time of the move and maybe some of the planning I think that would help like to understand I think the main motivation is to have the Comfort life or like you know have a little bit less stressful and so on so just help that a little bit in terms of the background at the time of the Moon my kids at the time were five and four years old yeah very young okay as far as planning goes me and my spouse we are absolutely opposite she loves to plan she's very or organized I'm on the other hand this I'm a very disorganized person I don't plan at all but things happen so to me it is you know it's one day I sat down with it I'm like you know what are your thoughts about going back home and she wasn't very sure about it you know an hour later I convinced her I'm like know this is the best thing that you know we got to get rental income first of every month you know is close to family you know
8:58 Close to every every every function everything that's happening over there India you know all the festivals and all that kind of stuff and you know see she said yes well within 15 days we had our house rented out W my brother was my brother also lives in Canada okay so I rented my house out we put all the furniture we had a decent sized house you know was a walk out basement so we put all of furniture in one room in the basement and just locked it and parked my cars in my brother's place and within 3 weeks of that discussion we were flying back to India One Way Ticket wow that's so quick yeah yeah that's very interesting so sounds like I think you had this idea and able to convince your wife and you executed on it and then but the plan was always to have some kind of a backup I think you didn't sell your vehicles or the you know the things right I think you wanted to move back and give it a shot or and see how it goes maybe is that the thought process or like you
9:59 Pretty much decided we are moving for good but you know you might want to come back and then sell these later just curious on that I think you know the approach on how you you took in terms of moving back yeah yeah I think you're absolutely right you know like even though we didn't realize it at that time I think back of the Mind there still was always this thought what if things didn't work out so we always wanted to have that cushion because you know we could always sell the house we could always sell the vehicles but it was all like you know let's go in there test it out and see how it goes understood so that's that's what pretty much it was great okay so how was the life in India I think you
10:40 Had set an expectation you know in terms of being close to the family having a comfortable life you know relying on the income from the commercial building and so on so how did it go and what happened and yeah tell us the experience there well you know it's U it was a very mixed experience The Good the Bad the Ugly yeah and lot of good some bad some ugly as well you know it's so if you were to dwell on the good part first it life was awesome freaking zero stress I didn't have to work the only thing I had to do was collect rent and I kind of didn't like that aspect a lot because you know what what happens being overseas all these years plus I always have this gentle personality I'm not I'm not a guy who get in confrontation and that kind of stuff
11:41 Unless someone's being a complete idiot you know I won't even argue so to me it is you know but in India to get that rent if you're soft people you know they they use you and I had to change my personality a little bit and that bothered me yeah I felt like I was becoming angry like you know thousands of other people in Delhi I was was getting that kind of personality but that was M you know was it was nothing major so the rent part was awesome like when you don't have to work the only job that you have to do is go to the office wake up at 10: you know freaking flip few TV channels read newspaper you know talk to some AB over here another guy over there and you know come back and you know then you know me and my M my kids we literally eating out every day you go on long drives you know you wake up okay we're going to Nepal today we're going to Singapore tomorrow or you know another next month you off to Thailand or Malaysia is
12:43 Like we were traveling so much it was Unreal yeah so workwise the only work I had was till the 15th of the month I had to collect that rent you start asking people rent there rent there and you know what it it take them takes them a while but you get it and after 15 I had to spend it because in Delhi the biggest expense is your house yeah and I was living with my dad so we didn't have that plus you know I didn't have to contribute much to our household anyway you know he was doing good and so that was the only thing that we were doing so that was really awesome that's one thing we really miss you know the traveling part the eating out part the food culture is so awesome in India so those little things you know not five stars you know but average restaurants and that kind of stuff you know was was awesome yeah when you get to the bad part is Road
13:44 Rage that's horrible in in Delhi especially in North India I would say Punjab and those places they are still better but New Delhi is freaking awful parking issues people were splitting each other's head open on that I got into a very ugly scene where my driver got attacked by four people I had to rescue him you know I got Fu blows myself too you know it's it was very ugly and that's the day well this is right before I came back one of the rods hit me right over here and when we were to at the hospital the doctor told us if it was like half an inch up you'll be dead and those are the kind of things you know that kind of makes you think you know okay is is it really worth it out so I think that that was a big part of it pollution my wife she has asthma so the first nine or 10 months were awesome but close to Diwali like right right after Diwali the pollution
14:46 Level got so unreal she was in hospital every second day wow like every evening she would get attack and it was horrible so you know doctor told me you know what either look for a new place to live or look for a new wife I'm like that's an easy Choice man so you know we came back to Canada very soon after that knan wood we've been here for 14 years now she has she hasn't gotten with one asthma attack very so I think health and safety were two major concerns which made us move back yeah I mean those are very very important you know at the end of the day no thanks a lot for sharing that but
15:29 In terms of the kids I think how how did it go with them just curious on that you know they were really too young so they didn't even know what was happening they were just traveling with us you know it's one thing which I noticed was my younger son he hated going to school okay and he used to start crying the moment you know we were it was just pre- Nursery School that we used to drop him off at every morning and what we found out over here when we came back a year later the teacher used to beat him up every day W really yeah sad but that's that's the reality than that you there's nothing that stands out you know it's they were too young and basically anywhere we would go we would take them with us so it's pretty much about it got it so sounds like I think you pretty much moved about an
16:21 Year after the transition like so what was your planning about wring back like you know how did you approach it just curious on that it was was very easy I know you know it's the field that I was in I was very much in demand so I know the moment I would come back I would have my job and everything you know whatever I did I didn't doubt it so you know once the doctor told me that you know we had to have change of environment it was not even an option yeah so I came back first had a meeting with the owner of the company and he was more than happy you know to take me back yeah so I just want I'm thinking about coming back and he says you know we would love to have you back so I was at my same position and you know the lease was up for the tenants so we had our house back as well yeah so it was a very smooth transition back our furniture was in the basement so just had to call the movers to get it back up yeah so I within two or three days you know we was was well settled
17:21 The way we used to be yeah that makes sense yeah just a curious have you
17:27 Considered about any other City or any other place I mean I think you know trying to balance it out right I think you kind of mentioned about the reason what we we are at that stage in life like after that I quit my job and you know we started cop company me and my brother and in the last 14 years we've made it to one of the largest count of fabricat invest in Canada so it's you know life's been good but we at that stage where looking at semi- retirement and again India is calling like you might want to say but we wouldn't want to move back to India so we're looking at options Dubai Singapore we might make those countries a base yeah or you know look at some plac in Europe as well but let's see what happens but I think you know it's U it's going to be either Dubai or Singapore
18:28 That we end up in okay and just a curious in terms of thought process right I think moving from Canada to like Dubai or Singapore is it just the proximity or the services just curious in terms of thought process of why these places then living in Canada you know because that you're very familiar you have been there just wondering on that well it's you know Canada is awesome but there are a couple of things that that are tough to deal with the first one is obviously weather is it gets extremely cold like today was it's going to be minus 20 which is still not bad you know like you know end of December early January it's going to be minus 40 minus 45 mind you the weather's gone a little bit better over the years you know but it's still still pretty tough second is taxation the taxes over here are so high it's it's almost time okay we got to look at other options so one thing that goes in uae's favor is zero tax yeah and lower taxes
19:28 Singapore so I think those are two key things for us right now makes sense and
19:34 Just curious I think in terms of the kids so I would assume they are in their 20s or 19s right I think you know based on what you have mentioned so are they like you know in college right now like the transition just curious you know when you say about semi retirement and you know traveling back and forth any any anything that you can share yeah yeah my both my you know both of my sons they in University right now so my Elder one he's already moved out and you know he's studying nuclear physics in Ontario so he's going to keep on doing that regardless what are we do my younger son he's going to come into business with me so he's definitely going to move with us you know wherever we go but again if he doesn't likes it and you know our kids are their circle is way more than ours and right now is all about them so if he comes back man we are packing our bags and we falling back again yeah yeah I I personally feel I think it's becoming such a global place I think people travel around spend time in different countries and so on so yeah
20:35 It's just becoming so you know looking back
20:40 Right I think you know someone who has tried living in India and you know some of the challenges that you have faced is there something that you would suggest or recommend or advice for people who are considering about moving back to India hey you know watch out for these things or be mindful you know so that they can make an informed decision yeah I think it all depends on what part of country a person is from and every part has its own challenges and I personally think you know is before you make that decision live there for three months don't be like a tourist you know like when we go in December and come back in January don't do that live there for three four months immerse yourself because the amount of time that we spend in the Western World making that adjustment is not going to be easy and secondly do look at these other
21:41 Options like Dubai is only three hours away it's almost having Best of Both Worlds from Delhi to Bombay Delhi to Bangalore is three hours it seems like you know with the Indian diaspora and there it seems like just an extension of India over there so that's all I would say you know is don't just jump into it you know get your feet wet first and see how it goes from there yeah completely agree I mean if you have the flexibility to live for you know couple of months living is different versus visiting you know this is where you deal with day-to-day stuff you know some of the things and that can help you in solidifying your decision process yeah for sure yeah is there any topic that we haven't covered that you would like to bring up in our discussion not really you know what I
22:35 Think the only other thing was corruption that was a tough one to deal with is it's funny you know how you grow up in a place and you know everything about how the system works but all these years overseas you know kind of make you Rusty you're not even used to it and you don't even realize that person's asking for a bribe and suddenly everything changes if you if you don't offter that so that's another thing but I think you could for the most part okay that's
23:01 Cool maybe just a curious from my perspective if I remember I heard correctly like you were in business before moving to UK for your MBA yeah okay so just curious on that experience right I mean someone I would expect you know who has been in business so they might know how to deal with the people or you know get things done in India which is different than like somebody doing a professional job and so just wondering in terms of your experience right I think when you were in business like 13 years before you tried to return back is there a difference is there a change in terms of this interaction or getting things done in terms of you know with the with the people in India just curious on that you know what have is one thing which I realized is when I was doing business in India let's recap on it a little bit my dad had a young business but he is old school and I was a troublemaker so you know how our old school parents are you know if you're a
24:02 Troublemaker you'll always get so I never used to go to this office because I know D so I started my own transport business like here he's got a very sophisticated business now I'm starting dealing with truckers so think about it just I shouldn't say that you know but it's a pretty rough business got into that CU I had zero Capital at that time and all I had was was Dad had a shop that was empty so that's all I had yeah but what I realized was the reason I got successful in there was in this industry everyone's foul mouth everyone was swearing and I came in as a whff of fresh air a breath of fresh air everyone that I went to to ask for work it was absolutely awesome because I was polite I was respectful and people supported me left right and Center so even back then I just didn't I just don't have that bone in my body where you know you can
25:05 Manate things or do that kind of stuff and but I was I was doing pretty well yeah you know back in 99 I was making almost one lakh a month you know just you know a single guy which wasn't bad at all yeah and same thing is helped me in Canada as well you know do what you know whatever you promise make sure you do it if you cannot you know don't lie about it be totally upfront in fact we were thinking about opening up u a manufacturing plant in Hoster in South India at one time and we had a very bad experience in India the corruption and all that kind of stuff you know was it was almost like who not even worth it yeah so I just don't know how to deal with that system is my parents can but not me yeah that's true yeah yeah so that's
26:06 Great yeah thank you very much Mr Amar for sharing you know candid conversation with us right I think U especially this would be very helpful for people who have thoughts about moving to India or moving out from a western world right I mean they have options to go anywhere but at least this can give some perspective someone who has given it a try and how it went for them and you know this definitely helps in their decision- making process so thank you very much for taking your time and sharing your journey with us today thanks it was a nice talk with you yeah that's great thank you thank you
A 30-minute call on the one decision you're stuck on.
