Archive · 16 Aug 2026
No Regrets: Man Who Rejected Rs 36 Lakh Dubai Job
A man named Kanan Bahl got a very well-paid job offer in Dubai.
The job would pay 36 lakh rupees every year.
Because the job was in Dubai, he would not have to pay taxes on that money.
After paying for his expenses, he could have saved about 20 lakh rupees each year.
But taking the job meant moving far away from his parents and his home country, India.
He decided to say no to the job.
He wanted to live near his family and stay connected to his culture.
He says he does not regret his choice at all.
He believes the career he built in India is worth more than the Dubai salary would have been.
Many people online praised his decision, and even some who disagreed respected him.
Chartered accountant Kanan Bahl revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that he turned down a tax-free Rs 36 lakh job offer in Dubai.
The offer was the highest campus placement package at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) at the time.
He said he would have saved about Rs 20 lakh per year after expenses, while no Indian job he found paid more than Rs 12 lakh per year.
He chose to stay near his parents, family, and culture in India and says he has no regrets, calling his India-built career more lucrative.
The post drew widespread supportive reactions, including praise for his parents and one commenter who held an opposite view but respected his thinking.
- Who
- Kanan Bahl, a chartered accountant whose story went viral on X (formerly Twitter).
- What
- He declined a tax-free Rs 36 lakh per year job offer in Dubai, choosing to stay in India near his family.
- When
- Recently; the exact date was not specified in the article.
- Where
- India, where he chose to remain; Dubai, UAE, where the job was based; the post was shared on X (formerly Twitter).
- Why
- He prioritized staying close to his parents, family, culture, and support system over higher earnings abroad.
Prioritizing Family and Culture
Pursuing Financial Growth Abroad
Value of the Dubai offer
Prioritizing Family and Culture
Staying in India let Bahl build a career that he says is now far more lucrative than the Dubai offer, and he has no regrets.
Pursuing Financial Growth Abroad
The tax-free Rs 36 lakh package was the highest campus placement of its time at ICAI and would have allowed saving about Rs 20 lakh a year, far above the Rs 12 lakh available in India.
Family versus money
Prioritizing Family and Culture
Living near his parents, family, and established support system mattered more to Bahl than earning extra money abroad.
Pursuing Financial Growth Abroad
Tax-free salaries in the UAE are seen by many professionals as a dream opportunity for rapid financial growth; one commenter said he held a totally opposite thought but respected Bahl's choice.
- Rejected job offer
- Rs 36 lakh per annum (tax-free)
- Job location
- Dubai, UAE
- Estimated annual savings
- Rs 20 lakh
- Best India offer at the time
- Rs 12 lakh per annum
- Offer origin
- Highest campus placement at ICAI at the time
- Decision
- Declined the offer; remains in India
- Platform
- X (formerly Twitter)