A Reddit post titled “finally decided to leave India” has sparked a heated discussion on social media, after a 27-year-old software engineer from Delhi shared why he is choosing to move abroad, not for money, but for what he calls “basic dignity of life”.
The Reddit user, who says he works at a FAANG company and graduated from a tier-1 engineering college, described how repeated encounters with India’s bureaucracy, poor infrastructure and lack of accountability had “broken his love” for the country he once wanted to serve.
“I wanted to do good for my motherland, but I’m done”
In his post, shared on the r/delhi subreddit, the engineer wrote that he had always resisted the idea of moving abroad — until a recent personal experience made him feel powerless before the system.
“I had to face the state, and it made me realise the dire state of our bureaucracy and judiciary,” he wrote. “An honest, tax-paying individual will always face injustice because someone with a pen and authority can destroy you without any consequences.”
The post continues: “For clean air, we need purifiers. For clean water, we buy tankers. For safety, there’s no proper policing. Even basic drainage fails every monsoon. This is life in one of Delhi’s posh colonies.”
He added that the final straw was the constant fear of harassment, even for those who play by the rules.
“Someone can file an FIR or case unduly against you just to threaten or extract money. They know it can harm your career, so you’ll cooperate and pay.”
“I didn’t study so hard for this”
The post struck a nerve with many young professionals online, especially those in urban India’s middle and upper-middle classes — people who are educated and employed but feel let down by the system.
“I have one life… I can’t live in fear anymore,” the Redditor wrote. “Better to live in a country where you at least have basic dignity of life. I didn’t study so hard to experience this.”
He ended the post with a bittersweet note: “I never thought a day would come when I’d fall out of love with this beautiful country, but I’m done.”
Resonance And Reality Check
The post quickly went viral on Reddit.
One user wrote, “Best of luck, every nation has its own challenges but yes you are 100% right we all have one life, make the most of it and do what feels right to you.”
Another added, “You won’t regret it, you might miss India on festival, food but still would be happy. Just a advice don’t hang out a lot with Indian friends circle ,we bring the gossip culture regardless where ever we go! (sic)”
“You made the right decision. If you don’t have any major responsibilities at home, and there’s nothing keeping you from moving, then it’s best to move out. There’s nothing you can do to better this country as it’s beyond repair,” the third user commented.
A Broader Migration Wave
The post also reflects a wider trend: India is now at the forefront of global migration numbers.
According to the International Migration Outlook 2023, India was the leading source of migrants to OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries in 2021 and 2022.
Each year, around 2.5 million (25 lakh) Indians migrate overseas, the highest annual number of migrants in the world.
Where are they moving? For decades, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, the UAE, Singapore, Canada, and Australia have remained top destinations for work, education, or to seek citizenship.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, in 2022 alone, 2,25,620 Indians gave up their citizenship — the highest in 12 years. By June 2023, 87,026 Indians had already renounced citizenship. These individuals have settled across 135 countries, with post-pandemic numbers showing a sharp rise compared to pre-2020 trends.