New Delhi Times - Gaurav Bhatnagar reporting from New Delhi, India

wow.. it's awesome that you sound so happy and cheerful about being back in india.. i'm planning to move bk next month, been in london for the last 4 years and altho i absolutely love it here.. i just figure it's time to go home... for lots of the reasons that u mentioned.. and more! but hey, i gotta be honest.. i'm kinda scared at the same time.. it's a big change and altho no doubt life in india is totally awesome, there's also pressure to conform to society.. or so i find.. newayz! glad u'r lovin it =)

lovely post!! I envy you :)
hoping to buy that one-way ticket soon...

You took the words right out of my mouth ;-). I already feel the same way as you do.
* Never a dull moment
* The right things are important

I love this place.

Nice!! We need you guys here in India :)

so you guys.. really, no moment of doubt? the slightest regret dealing with the madness that india can be? beauty, and family and fantastic lifestyles aside... how hard has it been to get back into the desi grooove?

I, too, had forgotten that what brought me to your blog a year ago was your return to India story. Even though you soon stopped raving about it, perhaps because you had become preoccupied with other, more pressing topics, visiting your blog had already become a part of my blog diet.

Thanks for reminding me of the original post.

Having decided to take early retirement and move to India, I have come across a lot of R2I's, but almost all of them returning to work, not retire. I find I am being my contrarian self again, which incidentally has paid off for me many times in my life, but I am still not sure if I am missing something that is crystal clear to other people of my age (early fifties).

I would like some advice from the young, dynamic Indians that populate this blog. I have a 13-year old child who has only known America, barring the annual pilgrimage most NRI's take to India. So this child will definitely have to go through an adjustment process, which will be bitter sweet I am sure. That's not what I am asking your advice on. What would you say if this American Indian kid ends up going to college in India even though providing for an American college education would be no problem. Would you consider an Indian college education when an American one was readily available as a compromise?

Kajal - seriously no regrets so far. But that maybe just me coz I have been immersed in my work since I returned back. I think one needs a lot more energy to survive and enjoy India. Life is fast and tiring but it is fun if you like that pace! Getting back into desi groove isnt hard - if you like bollywood movies, hindi music and lots of crowds, that is ;-)

Sarat - Indian college education might be worth it only if it is from a top tier college. I never went to college in the US but from what I have seen, I think it is a much better learning experience compared to what we get here.

Sarat, I went to uni both in india and england.. not the states.. but from applications and friends who hv studied thr, I'd have to say that altho india rocks in many ways, uni is probably better in the states or europe.. simply coz u get to choose to study a wide range of subjects before a final major.. there's more emphasis on research and self study as opposed to learning by rote. having said that, i think it also depends on the subject being studied....

Gaurav, hmmm... well, i think i'm too much of a nomad to settle down in any country for too long..but hey! looking forward to india for the next yr or two!

I have started following your Blog since last few months, after decided to go back to India. I am out since 2000, first in Switzerland and now in US. We(me & hubby) are returning by next 2 months. I am sad as I like the place where I live now. I am really scared of the pollution and troubles in everyday life there. But I must say your BLOG is a real inspiration for me. My hubby has made up his mind that he is returning while I am still going on with the dilemma. As woman my life is very smooth here being Free and independent. I like this space & honour people give you here as a human being. India has changed but the attitude towards woman has not changed a bit.
I will also miss the leisure and the voluntary activities I can do here. I know my everyday life tantrums will take away 70% of my time there. I am yet to search for a job there but I know the traffic to-fro from office would take up a lot from me both emotionally and physically.
But definitely I am going back for the reason that I want to achieve there what I can never do here, due to visa and other legal problems.
At the same time, I cannot put a deaf-ear to the everyday problems there, I will protest and will try my best to make changes in my small way. May be I will start from the place where I will first stay, Mumbai.
I like the weather here as well, fact is there is hardly anything here which I don't like. I like the friendly americans who can come with you in your car all the way to show you direction.
I am still willing to go back because I know I am more comfortable there and I will not have to worry about the Green card processing and Visa quota. I can spend few days with my parents whenever I will feel like. I can keep my dog with my neighbours for hours because they love dogs too. I can watch the latest Hindi movies in a cinema hall and not in a rented DVD. I can watch cultural programs of my choice paying $10. I can enjoy DurgaPuja and Diwali right with my relatives and neighbours. My kids will speak english with an accent which all my relatives can understand.
It's high time that I should start trading-off right now, when it's not too late. I am scared but at the same time excited.

Hi people
I stumbled upon this blog...I am an R2I person too. Do check out my blog for an article I wrote about how great it feels to be back home. It was published in Mid Day in Mumbai. I am sure you'll find a few thoughts that echo your own.

Vandana

Sorry, I typed my URL in the space provided and thought it would appear but it didn't.So here it is www.vandanavasudevan.blogspot.com

Dear Gaurav.

Thank you million times. I have read every bit of your blog.Its comprehensive, compelling and motivational in its own right.

Your good work have pointed me to right direction.

Now is the time to return to Motherland!!!.

Thanks
Manzoor

Vandana - nice blog!

Manzoor - I am glad u found it useful! :)

Hi guys,

My name is Sunny. I have been following this blog for sometime now and I must admit RDB has made me think about R2I. I am 27 and out of the mother land since 2000. Infact, I was in the US 2 months after graduation from Mechanical Engineering. Then pursued a Masters in Industrial Engineering from the University of Texas. I worked a bit for companies like GE and then a retail merchandising company in New York for a few years before moving to Canada for good. Life has been good so far, lots of down and some ups but it's been one helluva learning experience.

I'd say my life's been pretty ironic in many ways. We desi's in North America talk about Confused American kids but I have to admit I have spent the majority of my time in North America confused...as the 30's seem closer, the wisdom seems to finally shape up. As a Sikh born and raised in South India, I always wanted to travel the world to see Indians in particular the Punjabis settled abroad first hand through my own eyes and meet all my family that lives in different corners of the west. I must have read every book out there about Punjab and probably know and speak punjabi better than someone out of Punjab. Now, I am in Canada in the midst of many desis including Punjabis, I have done my share of meeting my folks, seeing the world and I miss my good 'ol India the most. When I last went back things were picking up in my home town Coimbatore. There was this feeling that this is the beginning of things to come.

All I know is I have the hope in my heart to one day return to India,my hometown and continue the legacy my grandad will leave when he settled in Coimbatore, TN miles away from Hoshiarpur, Punjab. And yes, I too want to be an entrepreneur in the lines of my grandad and dad. There is no greater joy than doing something from your heart and doing good for the people you employ. Entrpreneurs make the world. I might be a few years away from my dream and miles away from reality but where there's life there's hope.

I look forward to hearing from other entrepreneurs who are self made and fighting it out to make a name for themselves.

Sunny
Made in India, Born to Rule the World

As an ex softie now in san diego and starting to think about moving to india this is a prety cool blog but someone mentioned something about a dog in a comment on here
I have two dogs and they are completely a part ofm y life/family so leaving them is not an option
I am curious have people made the move with dogs, was it successfull( you hear horror stories about them dying on the plane etc) and how did work out in india
My dogs are like herding dogs and need space to run and so you know we've managed with houses with huge backyards and there are like ,off leash parks here etc which make it pretty cool
what's it like in india
I never had a pet when I was in india so I hoenstly never thought about the state of resources for pets fo example how good are the vets etc
Thanks

Hi,

We need some advise from you as you have already R2I. And, the advise is regarding education cost for kids.We are here in the US for past 3 years and plan to move back to India permanently by end of this year (2007).
[We both are Indian citizens and we cannot get OCI]
Some of our questions are:
1) Is there a big difference in fees for elementary schools in Bangalore (difference between US citizen kids and Indian citizen kids)? Obviously, there will be some difference.
2) What is the option for higher education (i.e., undergrad education) as the fees will be higher...to my understanding 3 to 4 times higher than the Indian citizen kids? This kind of fees will not be affordable for people like us who stayed here only for a couple of years and did not really save much in dollars. So, what is the option? Please suggest.
3) I heard that we can get Indian passport in the US for the kid even though the kid is born in the US. (Assuming that we are ready to forgo the US passport and the US citizenship). We have not applied for US passport yet and hence the Indian consulate does not have any objection for this. [In fact, earlier when there was no rule for getting passport for the kids, lot of people used to travel with the kid's name in mother's passport]

Is this a safe option (assuming, we are not worried about US passport)? Are there any issues with this when going out or entering US again (later, may be 10-15 years later...again, applying for US visa on Indian passport).

Please Advise...It will be really great to hear from you and also people who have some experience with these issues.

I will be awaiting for your quick reply as we have to decide in couple of days.

Thanks

plz tell me how can i obtain indain passport and where should i post in new delhi

I AM SCARED TO MOVE TO INDIA AS I HAVE LIVED IN THE UK ALL MY LIFE AND WAS BORN IN UK. I HAVE MET AN AMAZING MAN BUT HE LIVES IN INDIA AND I HAVE TO MOVE IF I WANT TO BE WITH HIM HE HAS A BIG BUSINESS. I FIND THE DIRTYNESS AND POLLUTION AND CULTURE ALOT TO DEAL WITH.

HE HAS A NICE FAMILY AND I KNOW LIFE IS NICER BUT SHOULD I MAKE SUCH A BIG MOVE??????