For many Indians, moving to the United States is a lifelong dream. A global career, financial security, and the promise of a better life often make the US the final destination. But for some, even after achieving professional success and financial comfort, the pull of home grows stronger. In the Desi Return podcast, Gopi, a tech professional who spent over a decade in the US, tell us why he and his wife Ashwini decided to move back to India after 12 years at Microsoft, leaving behind a stable life and a high-paying job.
Chasing growth beyond Hyderabad
Gopi began his career at Microsoft Hyderabad, where he worked for close to four years. By 2010, however, he felt professionally stuck. “The main reason was the kind of work we were doing at the Hyderabad center—it was largely outsourced, and the quality wasn’t where I wanted it to be. I felt I had hit a ceiling in terms of growth,” he said on Desi Return podcast.
Like many from Telugu families, there was also societal pressure. “Why don’t you move to the US?” was a familiar question. A business trip to Microsoft’s US headquarters on a B1 visa changed everything. Spending several months there exposed him to a very different work culture and quality of work. “That experience pushed me to plan a move to the US for professional growth,” Gopi recalled.
A smooth move, big dreams
The shift was an internal transfer, and Gopi moved to the US on an L1B visa, avoiding the usual H-1B uncertainty. The plan was clear for him, it was to gain exposure, grow professionally, maybe get a green card, and eventually start something of his own.
At the time, Indian startups like Flipkart were gaining momentum. “I kept thinking, ‘Why can’t I build something like this?’” he said on the podcast. Having coded since his early teens, he wanted his career to be more than just a job. In the US, Gopi worked across multiple teams, including Office 365. “It was one of the richest groups in the company and a cash-flow machine,” he said. Life revolved around intense work and professional growth. “I gave my life to Microsoft.”
Why did he return to India?
Even while building a successful career, Gopi always believed he would return to India. “While boarding the flight, I told myself I’d come back in three years. Of course, everyone hears that and thinks it won’t happen.” Then life took an unexpected turn. In 2013, the couple’s daughter was born prematurely and spent nearly four months in the NICU. The emotional and medical strain was overwhelming.
“That period was medically and emotionally exhausting,” Gopi said. Plans to return in 2014 were no longer possible. They bought a home in the US, believing they could always sell it later. Financially, things were comfortable. But there were cracks beneath the surface. Ashwini’s career suffered due to visa restrictions, an issue many immigrant families face when only one spouse can work freely.
‘We had existential crisis’
By 2015, when Gopi turned 30, the pressure of work, health challenges, and family responsibilities collided. “We had an existential crisis,” he said simply.
The question was no longer just about money or career growth, but about life itself, where they wanted to raise their child and what kind of environment they believed in. Global events also played a role. Incidents like the Sandy Hook shooting and the Black Lives Matter movement made them think about it deeply. “We realised the US also has serious problems—just like India.” Once they stopped putting the US on a pedestal, the decision became clearer.
Starting again in India
Back in India, their biggest worry was their daughter’s transition. After trying several schools, they found an IB school that helped her settle. Career-wise, reality hit hard. “Building a business is nothing like working a job,” Gopi said. It took years to truly understand entrepreneurship. Just as things began to pick up, COVID disrupted everything, forcing a restart in 2022. Today, both Gopi and Ashwini are building startups. They are now in the AI space, backed by angel investors, and slowly growing again.
Gopi is clear-eyed about the contrast between the two countries. “India is time-rich but money-poor, unlike the US,” he said. Selling to US clients from India is often easier than selling within the domestic market.
But what India offers goes beyond balance sheets. Family support, grandparents being present, everyday moments, and cultural roots filled a void they hadn’t fully understood while living abroad. “After coming back, we realized something was missing in the US, but we couldn’t explain it then,” Gopi said. “Now, we can.” For him and Ashwini, the move back wasn’t a step down. It was a step inward, towards a life that finally felt complete.