For millions of young Indians aspiring to build a career abroad and earn in US dollars, a viral social media message by Arham Ishteyak, an Indian living in the United States, has sparked a widespread conversation. Hailing from Bihar, Arham shared a detailed perspective examining the fundamental differences between returning to India in one's early 20s versus after turning 40. He emphasized that an individual's financial standing, accumulated assets, and overall outlook vary significantly across these two life stages, directly shaping how non-resident Indians make the crucial decision to relocate back home.
NRIs in Their 40s: Financial Security and Smooth Transition
According to Arham Ishteyak's categorization, overseas workers broadly fall into two distinct groups based on career maturity. The first category comprises NRIs who are 40 years of age or older. By this stage in life, individuals have typically built substantial financial security, savings, bank balances, and real estate investments abroad. If an NRI in their 40s decides to leave the US and move back to India, their daily lifestyle does not suffer a catastrophic disruption. Arham pointed out that even if such a professional transitions from earning 2 crore rupees annually in the United States to 1 crore rupees in India, they can easily maintain a peaceful, comfortable, and stable lifestyle back home.
The 20s Dilemma: Early Career Disparities and Earning Gap
In sharp contrast, young professionals aged between 20 and 25 face a completely different set of economic realities. Drawing from his own background in the hotel industry, Arham provided a direct personal example to illustrate the wage gap. He noted that if he were working in India within the same professional domain, earning even 20,000 rupees per month would have presented a major hurdle. However, living and working in the United States currently allows him to earn over 20,000 rupees per day. This stark contrast in entry-level packages, remuneration, and workplace environment between India and the US makes choosing to move back to India during one's 20s an exceptionally difficult and high-stakes decision.
Stepping Out of the Comfort Zone: Learning and Building Wealth
Clarifying his stance in the video caption, Arham stressed that he is not advocating for young people to abandon India permanently. Instead, his primary message urges youth to step out of their immediate comfort zones and family homes during the early phase of their careers. He encourages young individuals to go abroad, embrace struggle, earn well, master new skills, and understand global operations. Once a person has explored the world and achieved solid financial independence, they can make a well-informed choice regarding where they truly wish to spend the rest of their life.
Social Media Debate: Diverse Opinions from the Online Community
Arham Ishteyak's observations have triggered an engaging online debate across social media platforms, yielding mixed reactions from users. Many young viewers expressed strong agreement with his economic breakdown, while also highlighting the emotional trade-offs of living overseas. Some users noted that despite earning higher incomes abroad, they miss out on spending quality time with family while being trapped in relentless competition. Conversely, others argued that personal circumstances differ for everyone, and no individual needs to justify whether they choose to live abroad or stay in India.
