100 reasons to Return to India (R2I)

Are you thinking of Returning to India (R2I)? You are finding it difficult to make an R2I decision? Your logical mind couldn't come up with enough reasons to R2I? You are not sure about how much India has changed since you left to US? Thoughts about your kids' future & the quality of life in India is stopping you from making an R2I decision? Don't worry ! I bet, you'll find answers to most of your questions/concerns in this blog post.

The objective of this blog post is not to motivate/force you to return back to India. But, if you have been contemplating about R2I for a while & couldn't make up your mind because of the lack of enough data points/reasons - this blog post is exactly for YOU. If you want to know the reasons for returning to India (R2I) - you can find them here. If you are wondering whether you should stay in US or move to India, this is the post for YOU.

Also read:
Returning back to India - 25 things to do
R2I - List of things to pack/bring from US 
10 things to consider before you decide to R2I

Quality of Life

1) There are lots of good options for entertainment - theme parks, movie theatres, shopping complexes & multiplexes. The multiplexes have options for movies, entertainment, shopping, dining, etc., You can kill the whole day in some of these multiplexes.

2) There is a REAL social life. Life is not very mechanical here. You get to meet friends/relatives quite often in weddings, engagements or other parties.

3) You don't have to 'plan your visit' to your friend's or relative's place. You can just show up without fixing appointments.

4) Your favorite Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes, Honda/Toyota, & Ford are now available in India and they're very common. If you drive a  Ford Icon or a Honda City, people don't stare at you anymore.

5) Even groceries/vegetables are delivered at your home for no extra cost. Almost everything is sold or delivered to you at your door steps. You can call the nearby grocery shop and ask them to bring stuff to your home.

6) You can book train/flight or bus tickets over the web (http://www.irctc.co.in, http://www.redbus.co.in/). You don't have to call your travel agent, anymore. You can even look for real estate, rental properties online !

7) Many mundane tasks such as paying bills, government transactions etc., are available online. (I love IRCTC.CO.IN)

8) Though the price of goods/commodities in India are highly inflated, things are still very affordable in India when compared to US.

9) India has a very good public transport system. Man, I love it. Yes, the buses and trains are crowded. But, if you have to go somewhere they're AVAILABLE for you. There are lots of options including trains, buses, cabs, autos, & (my favorite) share autos.

10) Auto rickshaws are available throughout the city. The auto owners/cab owners have become high tech. They all own a mobile phone. You can just give them a call and they'll be at your door in a few minutes.

11) There are number of public parks that are maintained well. All such parks have play structures for kids. Of course, you cannot compare with what you can get in US. At the same time, you are not settling for less in India. (Also read: Mahabalipuram, Muttukadu & Crocodile Park visit)

12) All "hi-tech" gadgets such as iPods, iPhones, Wii, laptops/netbooks etc., are available in India.

13) You can do financial transactions such as banking/stock-trading/fund-transfers etc., online. You don't have to call your broker or visit a bank to do 'common' transactions.

14) There are ATMs available everywhere. There is no charge involved for using other bank's ATMs (You can do up to 5 transactions per month in other bank's ATMs).

15) People don't care about what you wear, anymore. Girls wearing skirts, T-shirts, sleeveless or tight dresses is so common, now a days.

16) You don't have to look for down towns to buy things for your family. There is all kinds of stores/shops available close to the community where you live.

17) You don't have to worry about paying huge costs for medical services. Medical insurance is getting popular in India. Most of the employers take care of your medical bills through medical insurance.

18) There are toastmasters clubs available in different parts of India. If you have been part of them in US, you can continue your membership in India.

19) Mobile phones are available everywhere. People in India are highly accessible at all the times. You can walk into a roadside shop to buy a pre-paid card and you have to just pay for what you USE. Signal coverage is awesome & cost of a call is very cheap.

20) There are fitness centers (gyms) in all the residential communities. Also, there are fitness centers/tennis courts/swimming pools, that are open for memberships, in almost every area. Builders today are focusing more on the extra amenities available in the residential communities.

21) You don't have to call/disturb your friend during the middle of his/her work to drop or pick you up from some place (especially, when you are giving your vehicle for service). You can use the inexpensive public transportation options.

22) It would be hard to lead a 'luxurious' life in US. However, if you earn sufficient money in US, you can definitely lead a  'luxurious' life in India. The cost of living has definitely gone up. But, you'll feel the benefit of 1 USD = INR 45. (Also read: How much money do you need to R2I?)


23) Home-makers/House wife will not be "bored" at home, in India. They can soon find friends in the neighborhood/communities. Women in India have greater flexibility these days to go out and be on their own. Women also enjoy a lot more freedom and they are treated on-par with men. 

Kids

24) Kids don't have to be in day care. They can spend time with their grand parents, at home.

25) Education in India is affordable (compare it to the $1000+ you pay in US every month for schools).

26) There are lots of good schools (including international schools) in India providing high quality education.

27) Schools in India are not just focusing only on 'academics' these days. For example, my daughter attending pre-KG in a local nursery school, gets to do lots of coloring, art work, physical exercises, and they're teaching stuff like Sanskrit verses/GK etc., Imagine what would a 5th grade or 10th grade student would get to do.

28) It is very easy for kids to get spoiled in U.S, when they reach their adult hood. They get involved in dangerous habits such as smoking, drugs, early sex etc.,

29) Indian environment is highly competitive and that can bring the best out of your kid. The whole world acknowledges the fact that Indian kids are 'smart'. The credit goes to our culture, value system, education, competitive society etc.,

30) In India, kids get to learn more about religious values (by visiting temples often, participating in festivals/functions, hearing about ancient 'good over evil' stories & moral stories from schools/elders, etc.,). This definitely helps in shaping up their character.

31) There are stores that sell items for new born & toys for kids. Almost all the toys that you buy in US for kids are available in India.

32) Kids will develop a high immunity system, if brought-up in India.

33) Kids brought up in India will know the importance of 'taking care of parents, when the parents get old'. You don't have to spend your "last few years" alone or in senior citizens care center (i.e., old age homes).
When you show utmost importance/care to your parents, you'll kids will learn from your gesture.

34) When your kids grow in US, they'll will pick up American accent. The grand parents/relatives in India may not be able to understand them. Also, the kids may not like to talk to grand parents.

35) In US, kids get addicted to all the electronic gadgets & gizmos. This is not good for your kid's health/mind.

36) If you return back to India during your kid's early childhood days (preferably, before he/she goes to school), it is easy for him/her to get accustomed to the things in India, . If your kids are very young, it makes more sense for you to return back now.

37) You don't want your kid to get married to a non-Indian (say, Chinese or American), when they grow up.

Personal Reasons

38) Your parents in India are already very old.

39) Your parent(s) in India, are sick and need your assistance. (Also read: Chikungunya - Deadly !)

40) You have a single parent and you need to take care of him/her

41) Your parents have been pestering you to come back to India for a while now.

42) Your spouse has a good education/degree, but cannot work in US because he/she doesn't have an IT background. Your spouse continues to be a home maker and is always bored at home. Your spouse wants to come back to India and settle down.

43) It is tough to find a bride from India, if you are a bachelor working in US. The craze about 'US based bridegrooms' is gone.

Convenience / Good Support System

44) You can hire someone to do your household work at a reasonable price.

45) You don't have to drive your car. You can employ someone as driver. It is not even imaginable in US.

46) Elders (Grand parents) are there to take care of the kids (giving them bath, dressing them up, feeding them, telling them interesting stories, putting them to sleep etc.,)

47) Gone are those days, where you have to go to banks to open an account or apply for a credit/debit card. All such services are provided at your door steps. You've to just make a phone call. They'll even fill the forms for you.

48) Service reps knock your door to sell Telephone/Internet/TV connections. You have a lot of options when it comes to choosing your Telephone/Internet/TV service providers. The prices are very competitive.

49) Doctors/Hospitals are available at 'walkable' distance from your home. For Rs.100, you get treatment for general illness such as cough, cold, stomach upset etc.,

50) Plumbers, Electricians, Movers, Construction workers etc., are abundant. You can get any construction/repair work done in no time. (People who own a house in US, can understand the importance of this)

51) You don't have to take your car for a car wash, every month. You can get people who'll do car wash at your home on a daily/weekly basis.

52) Every service provider (TV, Internet, Phone, etc.,) has a decent customer support system/infrastructure in place. You can call and talk to a customer service representative 24 x 7. There are also facilities to file complaints & escalate them online, if required.

53) There are people/services available to take care of all your needs. Have you heard about service/help desks such as Service Square

Tangibles & some cool benefits

54) People don't look down on you because you returned back from US. People appreciate the fact that you care for your parents/family/society/country/people.

55) People come to you for advise on important things (such as which Engineering courses to take, how to prepare for job interviews, how is the present IT climate etc.,). They value your experience.

56) If you've already got your US Citizenship, it is well & good. This is the right time to return back to India. You don't have to worry about yearly trips to US, to retain your residency.

57) If you are a visa holder & if your visa is about to expire, this is the excellent time to return back to India. You won't have the option of going back to US (unless you wait for another year and get a new L1/H1B).

58) If you are a GC holder, I pity you. You'll be caught in a dilemma whether to return back or not. However, think about the reason which prompted you to go to US. Most likely, you would've gone to US to earn money. If you had met that objective, it is time for you to return back. Also, if you return back as a "liaison" for a US company, you will have an option to make frequent trips to US. You can meet the criteria for '6 months stay' in US, every year.

59) If most of your assets/investments are in India, you should return back to manage/enjoy those assets/investments.

60) It is easy for you to get caught into the "n+1"th year syndrome. You'll keep postponing your decision for several years until you reach a point where you or your family can't return back to India. So, if you are contemplating about returning back, you should do it NOW.

61) In India, When you or your spouse/kid is sick, there will be enough people (family members/relatives/neighbors) to take care of/support you. In US, you've to fully rely on your friends for help/support.

62) If your goal is to earn "unlimited" amount of money, there is no end to the need for more money. Think of your life style a few years ago. With the money that you have today, you can definitely lead a better life in India. Many of us go to US to earn money. So, if you have made good sum of money, it is a good time to return back. (Also read: How much money do you need to R2I?)


63) There are lots of festivals/functions throughout the year.  Pongal/Sankaranthi, Diwali, Ramzan, Christmas etc., are celebrated in a special way. You get the joy of a real celebration of festivals only in India.

64) You would've visited a number of places in US. But, you might not have seen all the different tourist places in India. Moving to India would give you enough time to visit different places in India. You can get to learn more about India's rich culture & heritage, by traveling across different states.

65) In India, you can extend the life of several items that you use on a day to day basis. For example, you don't have to throw away shoes/clothes, because the stitches have come-off. People at road side shops will do the repair for you. There are shops that will do repair of electronic/electrical items at a very reasonable price.

66) Yes, Indian roads are congested. But, if you are used to long commutes in US, it wouldn't be a big issue. In US, you've to really start from home at 7 (or before) if you want to beat the traffic. In India, you can start by 8 to beat the traffic. Hey! you get an hour of extra sleep. In the worst case, you can even go to work by 10.30 or 11.00 am. People don't expect you to be at work, so early.

67) In India, you don't have to carry a lip guard with you all the time. You don't have to wear shoes all the time (Wearing slippers are so common). You don't have to wear thick dresses, all the times. It is always "summer" in India.

68) You don't need maps or GPS when you are traveling on the Indian roads. You can pull over your car to a petrol bunk or a road-side shop to get driving directions.

Work

69) There are number of budding start-ups & MNCs in India. You'll have more options now, in addition to the standard service companies (TCS, Infosys & Wipro). (Also read: R2I - List of MNCs in Chennai  Cost to Company (CTC) - Peeling the Onion)

70) In the past, only maintenance work is done out of India. Today, there is lots of product development activities being offshored to India. If you are passionate about hard core product development, you can now do it from India.

71) The pay in India is really good. Of course, the pay scale cannot match what you can earn in US. However, it is more than enough to lead a luxurious life in India. (Also read: 10 Tips for Return to India (R2I) Salary Negotiation)

72) In US, you cannot lead a comfortable family life with a single pay check, after some point. Both the husband & wife have to work to run the family. Otherwise, you won't be able to save much.

73) Indian work environment is getting more westernized. Though there are some managers who still breath down your neck, it is NOT so common, these days. (Even in US, if you are reporting to Asian managers, they micro manage you. Most of the managers in US are Asians, anyway. So, why care about micro management when you are in India!?)

74) If you are returning from US to India, you can really get a very good designation.

75) You don't get the feeling of 'loneliness' at work. Shared cubicles make it very easy to interact with other folks.

76) You don't have to walk to the cafeteria to get a drink/coffee/snack. In many offices, it is served at your cubicle.

77) You can easily impress everyone at work by your ability to communicate well (Thanks to the exposure that US gave you).

78) Having been in US for sometime, you'll have the "full product development" exposure. This will significantly increase your value & dependency at the work place.

79) You can easily take a break in India and kick-start your own venture. You'll have an opportunity to test your entrepreneurial skills (Note: Leading a life in US, without monthly pay checks is tough. If you have earned decent money in US, you can easily lead a life without pay checks, in India). If you want to take an early retirement to do the things that you are passionate about, you should consider R2I.

80) You can freely switch jobs from one company to the other. You don't have to be worried about your legal status or visa transfers.

81) The concept of 'being a consultant' to an IT company is getting popular these days. If you like, some companies offer short-term work opportunities too. There are a few companies that allow you to work just for 4 hours per day.

82) Many companies have infrastructure to let employees work from home (which was unimaginable, a decade ago)

83) If you are on a work permit visa & you lost your job & you couldn't find one for a long time now & your family is dependent on your pay check - You cannot legally stay in US & you should return back to India.

(Also read: Work environment in India - Then & Now)

Finance

84) India is growing at a tremendous pace. You can get high returns from both stock market & real estate, for your investments. Long term capital gains from stocks aren't taxed in India. If you keep your stocks for more than a year, you don't have to pay any tax. (Also read, Stock Trading Lessons)

85) There is lots of options when it comes to medical treatment. Homeopathy/Ayurvedic treatments are quite popular in India. You can get treatment for 'severe/serious issues, at a very affordable cost. In fact, many westerners are coming to India for 'affordable treatment', these days.

86) Making yearly trips to India from US, becomes unaffordable & not economically feasible, when the family size grows.

Food

87) Your favorite KFCs, Subways, & McDonalds restaurants are now available in several places in India. You won't miss them, here.

88) There are lots of good RESTAURANTS. There is a wide range of dining options - starting from the road side trucks to revolving restaurants. Having been in US for quite sometime, it feels so good to taste authentic Indian food.

89) You get a wide range of fruits & vegetables in India. Moreover, they're very fresh and tasty. They're not imported & not genetically modified. If you are a vegan, you can even get milk substitutes such as 'calcium enriched Soymilk'. In fact, soymilk in India comes in a variety of flavors.

90) Non-vegetarians will have lots of choice, too. Sea food is sold very fresh at your door steps. You can get fresh meat/chicken from a nearby shop (You don't have to eat frozen meat, anymore!!). Also, you can get a lot of spices for cooking your non-vegetarian dishes. In US, it is hard to find lots of spices that are commonly available in India.

91) When you go to a grocery shop, you don't have to know/remember the 'English' name for a Indian grocery item. By the way, all the grocery chains sell unadulterated & neatly packed groceries. You can go around the shop with a cart and pick the items that you want. You'll have the same shopping experience that you had in US. Of course, the stores in India are smaller.

Reasons close to heart

92) You get to live with your parents/family. My (& my wife's) parents are very happy that we are back. They feel more confident these days & I could see happiness on their face. They worked very hard & spent years in making our life successful. We can never pay them back in entirety. But, being with them during their old age is a small contribution that we can make. Let me share with you an incident. After my return, I had once visited the parents of my friend (My friend is in US). I could literally see tear on their eyes, when they said "I'm not sure if my son/daughter (masking the gender, intentionally) would return back. The more years pass by, it is getting more uncertain. But, you made a very good decision to return back! I'm happy for you and your parents". I couldn't control my tears as well. I didn't know how to console them. You can understand how much impact the R2I decision creates, on the parents.

93) Our government/society played a significant role in shaping us & our life. We are what we are because of our society and the contribution of our schools, colleges, teachers, and friends. Isn't it time for us to return that favor back?

94) We are so lucky to have got the opportunity to travel across borders... to explore the unknowns and earn a lot of wealth/fame. Shouldn't we provide the same opportunity to others also? Shouldn't we train the folks in India to be competent?

95) You've seen how things are in U.S. You have now got an opportunity to improve things in India.

96) Go back in time and recollect why you went to U.S, in the first place? Were your goals achieved? If so, you should consider returning back to India. There is never a perfect/ideal time to return back. So, don't procrastinate. Tomorrow never comes.

97) Constant feeling of getting to the roots in India. Feeling guilty about postponing your R2I decision?

98) Are you always feeling "alienated", in US? You couldn't completely get accustomed to the culture/people etc., in US? Neither able to lead an 'American' life nor able to lead an 'Indian' life. It is not just you, your kids may also have the same problem when they grow up.

99) You feel that your life in US has become so "mechanical" or "monotonous". You desperately want a change in your life. You want a break in your career.

100) India needs educated & smart people like you. We have complained about the infrastructure, people, politics and policies in India for several years. What are we doing to fix those issues? We are the 'cream' of India. Shouldn't we put your competency to best use in India?

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This is accurate to the best of my knowledge, at the time of writing. I haven't made any efforts to cross check some of my conclusions/assumptions.

I'll put my best effort in keeping this uptodate. However, please double check the latest policies/procedures before making your decision to R2I. I'm not legally responsible for your decision to R2I and the outcomes of it.

If this blog post gave you enough ammunition to your R2I decision, then I've met my objective.

Wishing you all the best with your R2I !!

Also read:

Returning back to India - 25 things to do
R2I - List of things to pack/bring from US 
10 things to consider before you decide to R2I

Mahabalipuram, Muttukadu & Crocodile Park - A visit to ECR attractions

We had been to the East Coast Road (ECR) during the New Year Holidays to see a few attractions. We rented/hired Tata Safari for Rs.1900 and visited a few tourist places along the coast, including Mahabalipuram. It is several years since I drove past ECR and the areas along ECR has grown by leaps and bounds. The road condition is really very good. There are lots of places to see/visit near ECR. Our first stop was at Muttukadu Boat House.
  

Also read: 

A visit to Arignar Anna Zoological Park - Vandalur
A visit to Children's Park & Snake Park in Guindy
 

I was quite impressed with the way in which the boat house is maintained. Muttukadu Boat House has adequate parking facilities, neat restaurant, and well maintained rest rooms. The boats had life jackets for everyone. Of course, they charged about Rs.400 for 7 people (which was on the higher end). There was a separate fee for still camera and camcorder (I guess I paid about Rs.50 for the camcorder and Rs.25 for the still camera). We had reached a bit earlier in the day (by 9.30 am). So, it wasn't very crowded. Also, the weather was very pleasant for boating. They also had water scooters. The motor boat driver took us around for nearly 20 minutes. The lake was clean and the scenery around was beautiful. We came back from the ride and paid Rs.10 as tip for the boat driver (Well, the driver asked for it even before we got down from the boat). We spent about an hour in the boat house.

We then visited the Crocodile Park. They charged about Rs.20 for adults and Rs.10 for the kids. However, the charge for video camera (camcorder) was whopping Rs.100. The crocodile park was maintained very well (except for the restrooms, which could be a bit more cleaner). This is the largest collection of crocodiles that I've ever seen in my life. They had pools in which there are nearly 100+ crocodiles. This justifies the huge amount that they collected for the video camera. They also have a pool with glass viewing and it was awesome. I believe you can also feed/touch crocodiles and we didn't try that (Though, there were a few head hunters roaming around. I guess they get a commission, if they sign-up people for crocodile feeding). We spent nearly 2 hours in the Crocodile Park. Kids would definitely love this place.

Our next destination was Mahabalipuram. Oh my god ! It was heavily crowded. I guess New Years weekend is the wrong time to go to this place. It took us nearly 30 minutes to get to the parking lot. Also, there was hardly any space to move around near the Shore Temple, parking lot. It is nearly 15+ years since I visited Mahabalipuram. The place has developed many folds. Our government has been doing a wonderful job of developing and maintaining the infrastructure, there. There are beautiful parks around every attraction, with proper rest areas & restroom facilities. We had packed and brought lunch with us. We had our lunch in the park. The entry fee was very nominal - just Rs.10 for one person. There was no camera or camcorder fee, in any of the Mahabalipuram attractions. We visited Shore Temple, Five Rathas, and Krishna's butter ball. We were very tired and didn't have the energy to climb to the light house. So, we dropped that from our list. We spent nearly 4 - 5 hours in Mahabalipuram and left the place by around 5.30 pm.

We made a stopover in Tiger's cave and it was very dark at that time. We went to the beach from there and spent a few minutes drenching our legs in the sea water. The return traffic was very bad and we reached home by 8.30 pm.

Overall, I was quite impressed with our government's job in maintaining these attractions. Most noticeable of all is the maintenance of rest areas and restroom. Kudos to them !!

This is the first mega outing since my R2I with entire family and friends. It was very enjoyable and memorable.

Also read: 

A visit to Arignar Anna Zoological Park - Vandalur
A visit to Children's Park & Snake Park in Guindy

American library in US consulate - for history lovers

My book reading habit came to a screeching halt a few months ago. It was not that I ran out of books to read, but I didn't have books that suit my interest. Enrolling in a library was in my to-do list for a while. However, I was just procrastinating it. While in US, I used to visit Milpitas/Sunnyvale libraries at least twice a month. Both the libraries are simply amazing. They have large volumes of books in the areas of management, and self development. They have wonderful online interfaces to check catalog, and to hold/renew books. When I did some research, I found that the US consulate (near Gemini Flyover) in Chennai had a library section. I decided to visit them over the weekend. (Also read: Connemara Public Library, Chennai - Disappointing)

With lots of expectations, I visited the American Library in US consulate on Saturday. They had a stringent security procedure. You cannot park your vehicle at/near the US consulate. You are not allowed to carry anything inside the library, including your mobile phones. You are thoroughly checked/scanned before allowed-in. It takes at least 15 minutes to just clear the security procedure and get into the library.

The American library in Chennai is a very small library. There were handful of people in the library - mostly, students and old aged folks. The library didn't have many collections. I was expecting it to be similar to a city library in US. But, most of the books were about history, politics and economics. There were only few books on management/leadership. They had about 50 DVDs/CDs on marketing, communication etc., I was not very excited to sign-up as a member, right away. They charge Rs.400 for a yearly membership & Rs.700 for two years membership. I decided to visit other libraries in Chennai and then select the right one for me. Stay tuned for my experiences with other libraries ...

Also read:

10 things to know if you are thinking of Returning to India (R2I)
Anna Tower Park - A Boon for Anna Nagar residents
Connemara Public Library, Chennai - Disappointing 

Nilkamal's @home - Not designed for me

I had been to the @home store in Nelson Manickam (NM) Road, Chennai during this weekend. Every day, I go past NM Road, I used to stare at this store from outside. I wanted to buy a kid's writing table, this weekend - so I decided to go to this shop. (Also read: R2I - List of things to pack/bring from US)

Normally, wherever you go in Chennai, parking lots are filled with 2-wheelers. Surprisingly, in @home showroom, the parking lot was filled with cars and there were only few two-wheelers. I was puzzled by this. I parked my two-wheeler and entered the showroom. A few steps into the store, I realized that this isn't a shopping place for me. The store was sparkling with lots of gift articles (designer class) and all of them with a 4 digit price tag. I climbed up the stairs to go to the 2nd floor and it was filled with model bedrooms. If you had been to IKEA showrooms in US, you would understand what I'm talking about. I was quite impressed by their presentation and of course, all of them were very costly. The 3rd floor had model living rooms & kitchen. I can confidently say that the place was for people who make at least 5 or 6 digit income, everyday (such as cine stars, business men, politicians etc.,).

Finally, I couldn't find a writing table for my kid. I came back very disappointed. But, if you are really looking to furnish your home with things that you would normally see in a movie and if you are ready to spend a lot of money, Nilkamal's @home is the place to go.

Also read:

Skywalk Ampa Mall - Multiplex ++
The need for more money never ends

Chikungunya - Deadly !

New Year started with a bang for me. Since the new year began, Chikungunya has sabotaged almost the entire family. I have heard about Chikungunya, in the past. But, this is the first time I was seeing people going through the pain. Chikungunya is caused by a virus that spreads through mosquitoes, which breed in clear water. Chikungunya shows up with very high fever, and stays for nearly 4 days. Doctors prescribe Paracetamol & some pain killer as the medication. You should be drinking lots of water during this period to keep yourself from getting dehydrated. This helps to bring down the body temperature.

Chikungunya just doesn't come & go - it leaves its mark. The residual or after effects of Chikungunya include:

• Body/join pain and difficulty to walk/move around comfortably
• Getting tired very fast
• Head ache (actually, heaviness of head)
• Rashes on the skin
• Throwing up
  

I heard that it takes months (or even years) for people to completely recover. My little one recovered relatively faster than the adults in the family. My dad was affected the worst and he has to be hospitalized for a day.

I was astonished when the virus didn't strike me. I guess my body has better immunity. Thanks to my vegan diet! I become a stronger believer of vegetarianism & vegan diet, because of instances like this.

If you are interested to learn more about Chikungunya, you can visit this website

Also read:

Why am I a Vegan?
Sunday - a day of mass murders in India

Work environment in India - Then & Now

Work environment in IT companies, in India, has changed quite significantly in the last decade. There are several catalysts that influenced the changes in our work environment such as Cheaper International Calling Rates, Broadband penetration, Frugality and Growth in Engineering Colleges.

• During those days, calling from India to US or US to India was a big affair. Today, International calling rates have come down tremendously. This has improved the communication between US and India employees. At the same time, it has completely engulfed our 'private' life. Employers expect you to participate in late night or early morning calls, from home. You cannot 'plan' your day and cannot spend 'quality' time with family.
  

• During those days, Working from Home (WFH) concept wasn't very popular in India. Many homes hardly had Internet access. Today, almost all IT engineers have broadband connectivity at home. Companies expect people to work from home. So, your worries do not just stop at your work place. They follow you to your home. Of course, WFH gives you extra flexibility when you decide to work from home for personal reasons.
  

• Several work place benefits are cut under the name of frugality - limited team lunches per year, limited spot awards, no cool drinks at work place, no evening snacks and the list goes on and on.
  

• Almost, all the companies in the IT sector, give medical insurance to their employees, now. This concept wasn't very popular during those days. It is very beneficial to employees - we don't have to shell out big bucks during hospital visits. It is automatically deducted from the Insurance. I heard that hospitals increase their treatment costs if you say that you are paying by Insurance.
  

• Laptops are given to employees, by many companies. Partly because the cost of these toys have come down quite a bit and partly because employers want you to work from home.
  

• The growth in engineering colleges has completely changed the equation, at the work place:

1. There is abundant Engineering graduates in the market. With more supply (& less demand     due to the recession), there is lots of young graduates without jobs. Many of them settle down for BPO/Call Center jobs, for just Rs.6,000 or Rs.7,000 monthly pay. Compare it to Rs.10,000 per month, earned by a construction worker or Rs.6,000 per month earned by a security guard. Not many job openings are available for freshers.
2. Fresher's starting salary hasn't kept up with the inflation. For example, the cost of commodities have nearly doubled or tripled. However, fresher's salary hasn't increased that much. On an average, good companies pay Rs.15,000 - Rs.20,000 per month for freshers.
3. Many folks at work, have below average skills. College students just 'buy' projects from 'vendors' to meet the requirements of their final year academic project. (Also read: How to be a STAR performer?)
4. I still remember the long hours that we used to put during college days to complete our academic projects. I don't see the same determination/commitment with the current generation. 
5. Employees aren't valued as before. If you leave, there is lots of people in the market to fill your position. 
6. During those days, majority of the folks leave work early (at around 6 pm). Very few folks work till 8 pm and only a handful of folks work late in the night. Today, I see many of my classmates/colleagues online, even at mid night. They face increased pressure from their peers.
   

• Employees are expected to work for at least 10 hours per day. Employees' availability is taken for granted. Employers don't care if you are really productive or not. They care whether you are available or not.

I've compiled this list based on my experience and learning from other folks. These issues are common to all IT companies - service & product oriented, startups and established companies, local & MNC organizations.

(I'll update this post, as & when I hear/learn new things about work place in India)

Also read:

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R2I - List of MNCs in Chennai

Smell of fresh air - rejuvenating

I visited Tiruvengadam, a small village near Rajapalayam, in December. I had been to this village nearly 15 years ago (and several times before that). The village used to be lot more beautiful during my childhood days - with grazing cattle, tiny fishes/turtles in ponds, marching rivers, overflowing wells and last but not the least, the smell of fresh air that traverses through crops and paddy fields. In addition, there used to be lot of people, most of them young.

The village has changed significantly in the last 15 years. The density of youth has come down significantly. Most of them have moved to cities in search of jobs. In addition to farm jobs, there used to be lots of jobs to produce match boxes and match sticks. It looks like those jobs have completely vanished due to the advent of machinery.

Today, the ones who are doing farming are just the old people. The ponds do not have water anymore and are filled with thorn trees. The rivers have just rocks and small pockets of water. The villagers use ground water for irrigation. The water table has gone down tremendously over the years, due to lack of proper rains.

In those days, the villagers used to cultivate lots of paddy, cotton, and chilly. Now, they've switched to cultivating corn and they say the returns are high (I guess the returns are high because corn is heavily used for producing ethanol).

I visited the corn fields and enjoyed breathing fresh air after a very long time. We wouldn't realize it - but, many English words have become part of our every day conversation. I realized it only when conversing with the people in the village. It was tough for me to translate/explain certain things to people.

Government has done a good job of providing the villagers with proper sewage disposal system, electricity and drinking water. Several people carry mobile phones and you can easily see a few mobile phone towers here and there. Overall, I enjoyed my short visit to Tiruvengadam. I'm hoping to go there again for a longer stay, to get the hang of village life.

Also read:
 
What can you do to reduce the impact of climate change?