Along with conversations about business, another thing in fashion right now is scores of people from abroad returning to India. What’s fuelling these patterns? While on my way to recruit people for my new venture, I thought through these points. You see, wife away for a few days to in-laws’ does help business and thinking both 🙂 So, I looked at some of the history of modern India. Even under the British rule, most affluent Indians preferred traveling abroad for education and eventually ended up working there in most cases. So, Indians have been on the receiving end of brain drain for a century almost! However, after independence, and specially during the license-raj years, this phenomenon accelerated. People felt so shackled by the system and lack of opportunities that they preferred to fly abroad. Grass was indeed greener on the other side, dollars glimmering across the Pacific… Some people did come back post the reforms in early 90’s but they were far and few in between the many who flew in the flooding river of IT upsurge. Many of those who went are now firmly entrenched in the societies everywhere. And they made Indian curry and Indian software professionals ubiquitous in most places abroad! This trend seems to be reversing in the past year or so it seems. If we are to believe news stories, hundreds are wounding up ashore in search of moksha in the hyper growth opportunities that India now presents to the world. And its getting better day by day with the new dispensation promising truckloads of reforms… I guess that this combination of unparalleled opportunities present in the huge nascent market of India and the sea-change in expectations with the new government in the center is what is our best bet if we are to grow to levels we aspire to. India’s potential as a consumer market was never in doubt with its huge population. With new technologies and penetration of mobile phones, it’s become a reality. Companies and entrepreneurs are taking advantage of this to reach out and create new value for consumers across industries. Aiding this upswing is the new government, which is promising reforms and simpler laws to do business. The prime minister’s topmost stated agenda is improving India’s ranking in the ease-of-doing-business index. And the improving mood has bought back those NRI’s from everywhere to invest and do business in India… What remains to be seen is how this upswing is sustained and promises are fulfilled. India is at the cusp of changing forever if things go well. But if they don’t, I believe we might witness never before seen brain drain. Because this perhaps is our last chance of reclaiming long lost glory and become the golden bird again. Here’s to the eternal hope of seeing a better and more prosperous future for our country!