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Microsoft Researcher Returns to India After PhD in Canada
17 Aug
Summary
- Personal reasons like family and culture led to return from Canada.
- Visa uncertainties and lack of belonging impacted immigrant experience.
- India's growing AI ecosystem attracted researcher back home.
A Microsoft postdoctoral researcher has explained his choice to return to India following his PhD studies in Canada, citing a blend of personal and professional motivations. Nandan Thakur, who earned his doctorate from the University of Waterloo, shared that the decision was influenced by a desire to be closer to family and Indian culture, and a feeling of loneliness during Canadian winters.
Thakur also pointed to the inherent uncertainties faced by immigrants, including visa-related stress and a persistent lack of complete belonging. Despite Canada offering better job prospects and a clearer path to residency, these personal factors weighed heavily. Professionally, the vibrant and expanding AI research sector in India, with its growing institutions and industry labs, presented a compelling opportunity.
Returning to Bengaluru for a role at Microsoft Research India, Thakur acknowledged the cultural adjustments of being back home, from traffic to familiar comforts. Ultimately, he and his wife prioritized building a specific life, which included closer ties to friends and family and contributing to India's evolving AI landscape, making the return a deliberate choice.
