Hemant Pandey, a former engineer at Meta, has made the significant decision to leave his career in the United States after eight years and return to India. Now working for LinkedIn out of Bengaluru, Pandey expressed no regrets about his move, even with a reduced salary compared to his US earnings.
Key Reasons for Returning to India
Pandey shared his rationale on a podcast, highlighting several compelling reasons for his return:
- H-1B Visa Restrictions: A major catalyst was the limitation on secondary income imposed by his H-1B visa. Pandey, who began creating content alongside his tech job, found himself unable to monetize it, a significant constraint on his entrepreneurial ambitions.
- Limited Social Life: He described life in the US as professionally rewarding but socially isolating. Interactions with neighbors were rare, and colleagues seldom socialized outside of work, leading to a predictable but thin social fabric.
- Proximity to Family: The desire to be closer to family was a powerful draw, a benefit he hadn't fully appreciated until he no longer needed a visa to visit his parents.
From Tesla to Bengaluru: Pandey's Journey
Pandey's journey began in 2016 when he arrived in the US to pursue a master's degree in Computer Science. His career trajectory saw him work at Tesla before successfully clearing the H-1B lottery and eventually joining Meta, where a Green Card application was underway. Despite this upward path, the H-1B's restrictions ultimately prompted his decision to return.
In December 2024, Pandey moved back to India, initially working remotely for Meta for a few months before taking a break and subsequently joining LinkedIn in Bengaluru.
Financial and Lifestyle Considerations
For other Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) contemplating a return, Pandey advises against fixating on a specific savings target, noting that the ideal corpus varies greatly depending on individual lifestyle, such as whether one has children requiring international schooling or plans to purchase property in a major city. He personally set a financial target that included funds for property in a tier-1 city, intending these savings to supplement income rather than replace it, as both he and his wife planned to continue working in India.
His broad financial benchmark suggests that earning one-third of a US salary in India is often sufficient to make the move viable. More crucially, he emphasized the importance of setting a firm return date rather than chasing a financial number, calling this the more challenging aspect of the decision.
Life in India vs. the US
Pandey contrasted the US's predictable routine with India's vibrant, albeit chaotic, environment. He highlighted how India's chaos comes with the benefits of readily available house help, rapid deliveries, and a rich social fabric that was missing abroad. Both he and his wife report being happier in India, largely due to the stronger social circles they've been able to rebuild since their return.