‘India was my dream home, now it’s...': Returning NRI slams India’s governance, hygiene & safety standards 

A Reddit post by a 25-year-old woman from Hyderabad has triggered a heated discussion on social media about India’s infrastructure, corruption, and overall quality of life — particularly from the perspective of Indians who have moved abroad and later returned for a visit. 

The user, shared a candid account of how her perception of her homeland changed drastically after living overseas. “I've always been the person who said ‘I love living in India,’ ‘I want to retire in India when I'm older,’” she wrote, adding that after moving to the US post-marriage, her admiration turned into disillusionment. 

“Everywhere I see, I see how dysfunctional our society is,” she lamented, citing unsafe roads, widespread pollution, open manholes, encroachment, and air filled with construction dust. “The roads feel so unsafe… the air is not breathable at this point… I’m asking myself how did I live here for 22 years of my life,” the post read. 

She also touched upon corruption and governance failures, claiming she had to pay bribes for basic government work to be completed. “Nothing gets done in this country without a bribe,” she wrote, calling it a “harsh reality check” for young adults who grow up idealising their homeland. 

Another major concern she highlighted was food safety. “Everything is made in reused black-looking oils, using dirty hands to make food without using gloves or soap,” she wrote, adding that the country’s “unhygienic food” tag is, in her view, justified. 

The Redditor also recounted an instance of harassment in broad daylight and criticised the leniency of India’s driver licensing system — sharing that she was granted a license despite crashing a car during her test. “That says a lot about how good the drivers are in India,” she remarked, questioning how citizens are expected to feel safe on the roads. 

While she acknowledged the convenience of domestic help and food delivery, she questioned the trade-off. “Sure, India is convenient. Maids, drivers, easy food delivery, etc. All good. But at what cost?” she wrote. “While living abroad, I've felt happier and healthier. I can walk to a place I want to, safely. I can breathe clean air. The government is more efficient, the services are on time.” 

Her conclusion was stark, “As a kid and a teenager, India was my dream home, full of life and colour. But now, all I see is distress and failure. I never thought I'd say this, but I don't think we'll retire in India anymore.” 

The post struck a chord with thousands online, generating hundreds of comments from Indians both at home and abroad. 

One commenter wrote, “It took marriage and moving out of the country to realise what was wrong in front of your eyes for two and a half decades. The real issue is that many Indians don’t even realise that there’s a problem to fix.” 

Another echoed the sentiment, saying, “People like us who moved abroad post-2021 have the same thoughts. The administration is thick-skinned and shameless. The rich flaunt wealth while the poor leech off the middle class.” 

However, others offered a more balanced view. “Think of India as an old grandma with a lot of wisdom,” wrote one user. “She’s hard to change because she carries baggage. But she holds spiritual and intellectual systems you won’t find anywhere else. The cities are chaotic, but not all of India is the same.” 

The discussion reflects a growing online trend — the clash between nostalgia and frustration among returning NRIs, who often find themselves caught between affection for their homeland and disillusionment with its everyday realities.