A 32-year-old academic based in Ireland has sparked discussion online after sharing her dilemma about whether to return to India after a decade abroad, weighing career opportunities at India’s premier management institutes against the life she has built overseas.
The woman, who holds a PhD and lectures at an institution under the aegis of the Irish Civil Service, moved to Ireland at 21 and says the country has shaped her adult life. “I have literally grown up here,” she wrote in a post on Reddit. She further described the last ten years as “amazing”, marked by professional stability, a close-knit community and a largely hands-off relationship with family and in-laws. She is married to a 35-year-old quantity surveyor and the couple are planning to buy a home and start a family in the coming years.
‘There are certain periods when I want to go back’
Yet, despite feeling settled, the pull of India has not disappeared. “There are certain periods when I want to go back,” she noted, adding that she could likely secure a faculty position at one of the newer Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), given her experience as a teaching and research assistant at an IIM earlier in her career.
‘Moving back feels like giving up everything…’
Still, the prospect of returning raises deep uncertainty. “It sometimes feels like giving up everything I know for nothing,” she wrote. While proximity to family is not the motivation, she imagines living independently, possibly “somewhere in the hills,” away from immediate family networks “
Financially, she believes the move is feasible, citing IIM salaries and personal savings.
The couple’s long-term plans complicate the decision further. With home ownership, children, and stability on the horizon, the question is not just professional but existential.
“In the next few years, we want to put down roots,” she said, noting that even their dog would accompany them wherever they choose to live.
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