By Admin 
An illustrious career in Silicon Valley, leadership roles in the world’s leading tech companies and 18 years of living in America. Leaving all this, Meta’s engineering leader Balaji Gururajan decided to return to India. The reason was not job, but family. Balaji’s emotional LinkedIn post is becoming increasingly viral on social media. Thousands of people are connecting with his story and calling it an example of the growing trend of ‘reverse brain drain’.
Balaji wrote, “After 18 years… A month ago, my family and I came to Bengaluru after spending 18 years in America. We wanted to be close to our elderly parents, see our children growing up with the family and no longer wanted to see that phase of life from a distance.”
Along with the post, he also shared a picture of the airport, in which a trolley full of luggage was telling the story of the closing of a big chapter of his life.
‘Silicon Valley gave me a lot’
Balaji admitted that leaving America was not an easy decision. He made his mark in Meta after working in companies like Microsoft and LinkedIn. He wrote, “It still doesn’t quite seem real. The Bay Area gave me my career, my closest friendships, and a way of thinking about technology and leadership that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.”
New life started again after returning to India
The new beginning after returning to India was also not easy. Between children’s school, new house and everyday responsibilities, he again started adjusting himself to a new life.
He wrote, “This has been a new project in itself—the daily challenges of re-acclimating to school, home, and a city I left years ago. The experience has been humbling and, for the most part, very rewarding.”
New app created with Claude AI
Amidst the new beginning, Balaji also started a side project. He has created an app named Bhavitta with the help of Claude AI. It is designed for those who plan their finances between two countries, two currencies and two tax systems or are preparing to return to India from abroad.
People said on social media- ‘This is real success’
Thousands of reactions came on Balaji’s post. One user wrote, “Bengaluru will definitely surprise you with the speed of technological development. I returned 12 years ago and it proved to be the best decision of my life.”
Another user said, “It seems that the phase of reverse brain drain has now begun.”
The most discussed comment was, “When you sit with your parents, see the peace in their eyes, everything else takes a back seat. This is happiness that dollars can never buy.”
Giving advice, another user wrote, “The first two years after returning to India are the most important. Move forward one day at a time and maintain the company of your family.”
Is the thinking of Indian professionals changing?
Balaji Gururajan’s story is not just about a man returning home. It also reflects the changing mindset of thousands of Indian professionals, who are now giving equal importance not only to global career but also to family, quality of life and belonging. Amid India’s rapidly growing tech ecosystem, such decisions are becoming more common than ever before.
At the end of the post, Balaji wrote just one line, but it reflected the full spirit of his decision – “For now, I am grateful, a little jet lagged and happy to be here.”