A candid and emotionally charged post by a US-returned tech professional has gone viral online, as it lays bare the harsh realities many returnees face when attempting to resettle in India after years abroad. The author, who spent a decade in the United States earning a master’s degree and working at Fortune 500 companies, moved back to India in January 2024 after being laid off at the end of his H-1B visa term. Now, one year into his return, he says he feels “devastated” by the experience.
“I’m dying and devastated by this place,” the post reads, striking a chord with thousands of NRIs and Indian expats who have considered returning home but remain wary of what awaits.
After his employer terminated his green card process and laid off around 300 employees in a company-wide restructuring, the author had hoped for a fresh start back in his home country. Instead, what followed was a year of disillusionment as he moved between major metros—Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad—only to find himself increasingly alienated from the ground realities of daily life in India.
In his post, the returnee lists a string of grievances that paint a grim picture of urban life: pothole-ridden roads, hazardous levels of air pollution, endless and poorly managed construction, and a visible lack of basic civic sense. He recounts dealing with malfunctioning showers in a high-end gated apartment in Hyderabad, dust everywhere affecting his health, and a frustratingly inefficient maintenance staff.
But it was not just infrastructure that shocked him—it was also the behaviour he observed on the streets. “People drive like animals,” he writes, lamenting the complete disregard for traffic signals and pedestrian safety. Littering and public urination, he adds, appear almost normalised: “Have garbage in your car? Just open the window and throw it out. Feel like peeing? Just do it on the street.” He adds, “Lack of basic civic sense in people. Never have I seen such a glaring lack of civic sense. Seriously, I’m done. I’m dying and devastated by this place.”
” Be the change you want to see”
The internet swiftly reacted to this post. A user said, “I moved to India after spending 14 years in the US. I moved to a tier 3 city. I love it here. I live very close to where my parents live. My kids get to spend good time with grandparents. I help my parents in their last years. Having a very satisfied life now. I was very stressed in the US now very stress free.” “I am born and raised in USA. My parents came from New Delhi. I visited only a few times and as I get older, I appreciate the nuances that are missing in USA but present in India. I don’t see the dirt or filth as much, but the community spirit and warmth of people, neighbors etc. It depends on your perspective. I see the immense wealth of culture that I missed out on, and my kids will by being here in US. Its about what is important to you,” noted another.
“I think its because you have personal grievances about your own life and failure. Someone who is raised in india always is able to adjust better. And that too now when actually infra is super. You complaining about apartment shower is a very clear sign. India is not great. But it’s very easy to form a bubble. It still will be bad. But not to the extreme you mentioned,” added a user. “Dude after living in the west you just get used to a good infrastructure where things just work. People maintain their space and have civic sense. Indians may not care about this but majority of the world does,” claimed another. “Be the change you want to see,” added another.