Archive · 18 Aug 2026
Indian PhD couple explains why they left Canada for Bengaluru
Nandan Thakur and his wife Esha Saha are experts who studied for a very long time in Canada.
Studying for a PhD takes many years and makes you a super expert in one subject.
They lived in a city called Edmonton, far away from their family in India.
In Edmonton, it was hard to make close friends, and the winters were very long and cold.
They missed their family, their Indian friends, and Indian food.
Visiting India took about 18 hours and cost a lot of money.
They also worried about the paperwork that let them stay in Canada.
When they finished their studies, they decided to move back to India.
Now they live in Bengaluru, where Nandan works for a big computer company called Microsoft.
They are excited to help India's growing computer science field, even though they are getting used to busy traffic and honking cars again.
Nandan Thakur and his wife Esha Saha, an Indian couple, returned to India after completing their PhDs in Canada.
Thakur, a recent University of Waterloo PhD graduate, now works as a postdoctoral researcher at Microsoft India in Bengaluru.
The couple found it hard to build a close friend circle in Edmonton, with long, harsh winters making socialising difficult.
Immigration paperwork and visa uncertainty caused anxiety, and they never completely felt a sense of belonging in Canada.
India's growing AI research ecosystem, from IITs, IISc and BITS to Microsoft Research, Google DeepMind, IBM and Sarvam, influenced their decision to return.
- Who
- Nandan Thakur, a University of Waterloo PhD graduate now working at Microsoft India, and his wife Esha Saha.
- What
- The couple decided to give up life in Canada and return to India, settling in Bengaluru after completing their PhDs.
- When
- Recently - shortly after completing their PhDs, with the account written about a month after their arrival in Bengaluru.
- Where
- From Edmonton, Canada, to Bengaluru, India.
- Why
- A combination of a difficult social life and harsh winters in Edmonton, missing family, friends and Indian food, immigration uncertainty, and India's growing AI research ecosystem.
Returning to India
Staying Abroad
Life after a PhD abroad
Returning to India
Returning to India brings closeness to family and friends, Indian food, a sense of belonging, and a chance to contribute to India's growing AI research ecosystem.
Staying Abroad
Staying abroad can mean higher-paying job opportunities, and after years of adapting socially and culturally to a new country, leaving that established life can be daunting.
Immigration uncertainty vs stability
Returning to India
Visa processes, paperwork, and immigration status create anxiety, and returning removes the stress of never fully belonging.
Staying Abroad
Despite the stress, some friends and family who chose to remain abroad show that life in Canada can still offer stability and opportunities worth keeping.
- Couple
- Nandan Thakur and Esha Saha
- PhD institution
- University of Waterloo (Nandan Thakur)
- Current role
- Postdoctoral researcher at Microsoft India, Bengaluru
- Previous home
- Edmonton, Canada
- New home
- Bengaluru, India
- Return trip cost
- CAD 2,000 to 3,000
- Travel time to India
- About 18 hours
- Time in India at writing
- About one month