‘Not the life I want for my family’: Entrepreneur, once vowed never to leave India, urges moving abroad; here’s why | Today News

Entrepreneur Pooja Setia has shared a personal reflection on LinkedIn about how her views on living abroad changed over the years. When her husband proposed 12 years ago, she had only one condition: they would never leave India. But, that has changed.

Her husband had dreamed of living in the US or Canada, but she wanted to stay close to her parents. She never thought about money or lifestyle.

“I genuinely believed I was choosing the best life possible — never imagining that clean air and potable water would one day feel like privileges, not basics,” she wrote on LinkedIn.

Coming from Abohar, a town known for poor cleanliness, she believed staying in India was the best choice. However, after marriage and motherhood, her perspective shifted. Today, she says if someone has the option to move abroad, they should seriously consider it.

“Not because other countries are perfect. But because here, the basics are breaking,” she wrote.

“The air we breathe is toxic. The water we drink is unsafe — filtered, boiled, treated, and still questionable. Our cities are overcrowded, noisy, dirty, and relentlessly exhausting. Civic sense and hygiene are inconsistent at best,” she added.

She further wrote, “We pay high taxes, and then we pay again for private healthcare, private education, air purifiers, RO filters, generators and gated communities. All of this — just to approximate a decent quality of life.”

According to Pooja Setia, people should consider leaving India if they can, as their basic needs feel uncertain. She argues that governments chase vote banks, and systems feel distant from citizens. She accepts that every country has flaws but says clean air and safe water should not be luxuries.

Setia notes that individuals cannot fix environmental decline or poor civic habits alone. She explains how dust and smog push her family to constant medication. She believes caring for children sometimes means rethinking earlier dreams.

“Watching my family constantly reach for antihistamines and allergy medication because of dust, smog, and pollution — that’s not the life I want for them,” she wrote.

Pooja Setia says this choice can hurt, yet it may still protect long-term well-being.

“Sometimes, choosing your children’s well-being means questioning the future you were once certain about — even when doing so breaks your heart,” she concluded.

Many LinkedIn users identified with her situation.

“This resonates deeply. Loving your country doesn’t mean ignoring its realities. Clean air, safe water and basic civic infrastructure should be non-negotiables, not privileges. Wanting a healthier environment for one’s children isn’t a lack of patriotism: it’s a responsibility,” replied one of them.

“It's sad, and the reality of this time, Pooja. Things that seemed like defaults are slowly being converted to privileges. Clean water, then clean air. Enough water is next, and then enough space will follow,” posted another.

Some, however, disagreed and offered alternative options.

“I feel more of us have to explore the various parts of the country as well, if feasible, and find remote working solutions for the same. The burden on our T1 cities is immense,” wrote one of them.

“I agree and still would want to live here and do my part. I would like to stay optimistic for my country. Be part of the change, no matter how painful it could be,” posted another.

Another commented, “And who is responsible for dirty water and air? I hope it is us. So wouldn't it be better if we clean and make sure to pass a more worthy environment to our next gen.”

Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. LiveMint has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

India remains the world’s largest recipient of remittances, far ahead of Mexico, China, the Philippines and Pakistan. Does that mean more Indians are moving out of India and sending money to their families at home? Yes.

The number of Indians working abroad reached 18.5 million in 2024. The number has tripled from 6.6 million in 1990. Nearly half of them live in Gulf countries.