Disha Lamba, a former data scientist in the United States, has returned to India after leaving behind a six-figure salary and a comfortable life abroad. In an essay for Business Insider, Lamba said loneliness, being away from her family and the restrictions associated with the H-1B visa were among the main reasons behind her decision.
Lamba moved to New York in 2021 to pursue a master's degree in computer engineering at New York University. She said her five years in the US helped her become more independent and confident. She also discovered new interests, including travelling and hiking.
In 2024, she joined CVS, which sponsored her H-1B visa. She was informed that she had been selected in the H-1B lottery in March 2026. Despite securing the visa, Lamba had already decided that she would eventually return to India.
According to her, loneliness played a major role in that decision. Although she was happy with her job, social life and salary, she missed having her family around. Regular video calls with her mother could not completely replace being physically close to her parents.
Lamba also said she wanted to be present for important family occasions and support her parents during difficult times. The distance between India and the US made maintaining close family ties more challenging.
The H-1B visa system was another concern. Lamba said the visa involved continuous management and could make travelling, changing jobs or taking a career break more complicated. She was particularly uneasy about needing a new visa stamp to travel outside the US and return.
In May 2026, she resigned from CVS and moved back to Gurugram to live with her parents and brother. She returned without another job offer in hand and admitted that she sometimes still worries about whether she made the right decision.
However, she believes India can offer similar career opportunities. She pointed to the presence of major companies such as EY, Mastercard and American Express near Gurugram as examples of the career options available to her.
While she is happy to be back with her family, Lamba said she still misses certain aspects of life in New York. She particularly misses walking around the city after work, its skyline and cleaner public parks.
For Lamba, however, being able to live with her family again has made the decision worthwhile.
Reader Comments 0