How green is the grass in India?

I borrowed the tittle for my write-up from TOI. This best describes it. Many NRI are debating this, much of the brain-drain debating to get back, passions, family ties, a boost to the economy, the multi-stories with exclusive club benefits, the schooling, challenges involved with inculcating family values and cultural nuances in the younger generation, are among many a reasons for people to be getting back to India.

I moved in to the USA an year back from India. And my group of associates and friends are just waiting to get back in the next 5 years, set as a target. So i wonder, I debate and i really genuinely want to figure this out.

The very reasons you came here for initially - infrastructure, clean environment and a picture perfect set-up, commercialisation hitting the roof, gizmo and affordable gadgets, cars and the roads to drive it on, medical benefits, better higher education, or just the word OPPORTUNITY in general - are we saying you are done with it. Are you saying, India is now offering sufficiently enough or have you decided this is not important and we need to listen to out heart now. Sure, listen to out heart we must. Without that life is a struggle and everything is meaningless. But then is the tug in the heart, strong enough to brave reality.

I want to substantiate this with a live example of a friend at work. He decided to go back because that is where his heart lay. 1 year later... a house 45 minutes away from work, mazing through dilapidated chennai roads, confused at the fact if the money he makes will grow or just be eaten away in the struggle to build a house, car and basics, can he sustain the 9 to 9 work hours repeatedly.... so are the ties in India helping him get by.


Another couple , very well settled in the financial district uprise of Manhattan, are feeling the pinch of family ties. The lack of the essence of living, when financial security is no longer an issue.


Endless stories, each with their own struggles and logic to get back. Most of them at the end of the day disillusioned by the grass is greener on the other side of the fence.

Now if you were going as the CIO or the VP of Infosys, I wouldn't even debate it. But commoners like us, packing off in a haste, I hope the reality check are done before they venture out.